Recruiting

VR Therapy

Sponsor:

Nova Scotia Health Authority

Code:

NCT06864741

Conditions

Stroke Acute

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Virtual reality guided motor rehabilitation

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether a low-cost virtual reality (VR) motor rehabilitation platform can improve motor recovery in people recovering from a first-time ischemic stroke both in the hospital and at home. The study focuses on adults aged 18 and older who have experienced moderate to severe upper limb motor deficits.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Can VR-based motor therapy improve upper limb motor function compared to standard care?
  • Is VR-based motor therapy a feasible and acceptable treatment option for stroke patients?

Researchers will compare patients receiving VR therapy to those receiving standard care to see if the VR therapy leads to greater improvements in motor recovery and more positive patient experiences.

Participants will:

  • Complete standardized assessments of motor function and quality of life at multiple time points.
  • Participate in VR therapy sessions (if in the treatment group), using gamified activities designed to improve upper limb movement.
  • Provide feedback on their experience with the VR system, including ease of use, motion sickness, and engagement.

This study will help determine whether VR-based rehabilitation can be a practical, effective way to improve access to therapy and recovery outcomes for stroke patients, especially in rural settings with limited rehabilitation resources.

Conditions

Stroke Acute

Study ID

NCT06864741

Start date

Oct 15, 2025

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

Jun, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jun, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • clinical diagnosis of first-time ischemic stroke involving the middle cerebral artery, confirmed by CT or MRI;
  • score between 6 and 40 on Fugl-Meyer Assessment's Upper Limb Extremity Subscore (FM - UE), indicating moderate to severe motor deficit;
  • ability and willingness to provide consent (score of 18 or more on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) or assent (for scores lower than 18 on MoCA with consent provided by an authorized third party with the necessary legal authority to consent on behalf of patient)
  • INPATIENT ARM: less than 5 weeks since stroke onset with admission to Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville, NS, Canada
  • OUTPATIENT ARM: less than 3 months since stroke onset with discharge to home setting located within 1 hour drive of Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville, NS, Canada

Exclusion Criteria:

  • brainstem, cerebellar or bilateral stroke lesion
  • a secondary neurological condition (e.g., Parkinson's disease)
  • musculoskeletal injuries interfering with task performance
  • an uncorrected visual deficit due to stroke or other etiologies
  • apraxia as identified by clinical assessment

Study Design

Enrollment

40 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

no intervention: In Hospital - Standard of Care

Inpatient standard of care for acute stroke

experimental: In Hospital - Virtual Reality Rehabilitation

Inpatient supplementary rehabilitation delivered through a virtual reality headset

no intervention: At Home - Standard of care

Outpatient standard of care for acute stroke

experimental: At Home - Virtual Reality Rehabilitation

Outpatient supplementary rehabilitation delivered through a virtual reality headset

Interventions

Virtual reality guided motor rehabilitation

Custom rehabilitation exercises running on a Meta Quest 2/3S/3 head mounted virtual reality display.

Primary outcome measure

  • Treatment effectiveness in hospital [ Time Frame: From enrollment to one week following the end of treatment at day 26 ]
  • Treatment effectiveness at home [ Time Frame: From enrollment through standard of care and VR treatment completion on Day 47 ]
  • Treatment feasibility - Motion Sickness [ Time Frame: From enrollment to one week following the end of treatment ]
  • Treatment feasibility - Attitudes towards technology [ Time Frame: From enrollment to one week following the end of treatment ]
  • Patient engagement at home [ Time Frame: From enrollment through standard of care and VR treatment completion on Day 47 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Locations

Valley Regional Hospital

Recruiting

Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada, B4N 5E3

Contacts

Daniel H Affiliated Scientist (Research), PhD

902-585-1220daniel.blustein@acadiau.ca

Principal Investigator:

Daniel H Blustein, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

Nova Scotia Health Authority

Last update posted

Mar 18, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Keywords

  • stroke
  • rehabilitation
  • motor disorder
  • virtual reality

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Nova Scotia Health Authority on 2026-03-18.