Immersive virtual reality (VR) is a technology that provides a more realistic environmental design and object tracking than ordinary VR. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of immersive VR on upper extremity function in patients with ischemic stroke. Sixty-five patients with ischemic stroke were included in this randomized, controlled, double-blind study. Patients were randomly divided into VR (n = 33) and control (n = 32) groups. The VR group received 60 minutes of the upper extremity immersive VR rehabilitation program and the control group received 45 minutes of conventional therapy and 15 minutes of a sham VR program. Rehabilitation consisted of 18 sessions of therapy, three days per week, for six weeks. The outcome measures were the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Scale (FMUE) and Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills (PASS). In both the VR and control groups all parameters except the PASS improved over time. However independent t-test results showed that all of the FMUE, ARAT, FIM and PASS scores were significantly higher in the VR group compared with the control (p < 0.05). The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) scores of the FMUE and ARAT were higher than the cut-off MCID scores described in the literature in the VR group, whereas the FIM scores were below the cut-off MCID scores. All scores in the control group were below the cut-off scores. Immersive VR rehabilitation appeared to be effective in improving upper extremity function and self-care skills, but it did not improve functional independence.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of immersive three‐dimensional (3D) interactive virtual reality (VR) on anatomy training in undergraduate physical therapy students. A total of 72 students were included in the study. The students were randomized into control (n = 36) and VR (n = 36) group according to the Kolb Learning Style Inventory, sex, and Purdue Spatial Visualization Test Rotations (PSVT‐R). Each student completed a pre‐intervention and post‐intervention test, consisting of 15 multiple‐choice questions. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, sex, Kolb Learning Style Inventory distribution, and the PSVT‐R (P > 0.05). The post‐test scores were significantly higher compared to pre‐test scores in both the VR group (P < 0.001) and the control group (P < 0.001). The difference between the pre‐test and post‐test results was found to be significantly higher in favor of the VR group (P < 0.001). In this study, anatomy training with a 3D immersive VR system was found to be beneficial. These results suggest that VR systems can be used as an alternative method to the conventional anatomy training approach for health students.

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a regional pain syndrome characterised by the presence of trigger points in the muscle or fascia.One of the most important causes of neck and shoulder pain are the trigger points in the trapezius muscle. Myofascial trigger points (MTPs), characterised by hypersensitive nodules, can be palpated in stretched bands in the affected muscles. 1 Compared to other muscles, the trapezius is the muscle with the highest incidence of MPS and its symptoms can affect the entire neck and shoulder region. The prevalence of MPS caused by trigger points varies between 30% and 85%. 2The etiopathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, but it is considered that neuromuscular junction or motor endplate activity is altered, and the sensitisation process develops in central and peripheral nerves. 3 MPS causes muscle spasm, stiffness, referring pain and

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