Validity, safety, usability, and user experience of virtual reality gamified home-based exercises in stroke.

The study only tested the games in a single session, so it is unknown if motivation and adherence would last over weeks or months of home use. The sample of stroke survivors was limited to those from the United Kingdom, which may affect how broadly the results apply to other cultural contexts. The study did not test technical issues like software glitches or network problems that are common in real-world home environments. The sample size was small (12 survivors and 11 therapists), which limits the generalizability of the usability ratings. The games were tested in a controlled laboratory setting for survivors, which may not reflect the distractions and space constraints of a home environment.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The games were developed by the School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities of the University of São Paulo, and ethical approval was obtained from the University of Exeter.

Do not interpret these findings as evidence that the VR games improve clinical outcomes like motor recovery or balance. This was a usability and safety validation study conducted in a single session; it did not measure functional improvement or long-term adherence.