title: Virtual reality environments for post-stroke arm rehabilitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Optimal practice and feedback elements are essential requirements for maximal motor recovery in patients with motor deficits due to central nervous system lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A virtual environment (VE) was created that incorporates practice and feedback elements necessary for maximal motor recovery. It permits varied and challenging practice in a motivating environment that provides salient feedback.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VE gives the user knowledge of results feedback about motor behavior and knowledge of performance feedback about the quality of pointing movements made in a virtual elevator. Movement distances are related to length of body segments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe an immersive and interactive experimental protocol developed in a virtual reality environment using the CAREN system. The VE can be used as a training environment for the upper limb in patients with motor impairments.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, 3654 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, H3G 1Y5, Canada. sandeep.subramanian@mail.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Luiz A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Knaut
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beaudoin
authors.forename: Bradford J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: McFadyen
authors.forename: Anatol G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: Mindy F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Levin
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D006801:Humans; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D014584:User-Computer Interface