RECOVER Injury Research Centre

Outcomes from consumer and community consultation

Learn more about RECOVER's consumer and community involvement activities. 

  1. Consumer involvement case studies
  2. 2020 Consumer & Community Forum
  3. 2019 Consumer & Community Forum
  4. Consumer chatbot activity
  5. Modification of the Pain ROADMAP app for young people
  6. Engaging Consumers and Community Members across the Research Spectrum: A Stepped Approach to Implementation by the RECOVER Injury Research Centre
  7. Virtual reality enabled intervention for pain management
  1. ‘6-minute Walk Test in chronic pain’ study: consumer review of recruitment materials
  2. Grow Stronger mobile app with a gamification feature
  3. Contributing consumer experiences and ideas for study to test how to choose the right treatment for the right person
  4. PRioRTI: A multi-centre randomised placebo-controlled trial of pregabalin to prevent chronic pain after whiplash injury.
  5. Co-design, development and feasibility of a consumer-driven immersive virtual reality tool for upper limb rehabilitation in the community
  6. Consumer Roundtable 2022: Bringing researchers to the consumer table to explore telehealth

12. Co-design, development and feasibility of a consumer-driven immersive virtual reality tool for upper limb rehabilitation in the community

What are the aims of the project?

The aim of this project is to develop and evaluate the feasibility of an immersive virtual reality (VR) tool for upper limb rehabilitation in the home.

Research shows that while most people who suffer a stroke survive and regain mobility, many survivors experience ongoing issues with upper limb function. More than two-thirds of survivors have motor deficits associated with poor quality of life and ability to participate in activities of daily living.

Early, intensive practice of functional tasks is effective for enhancing motor function post-stoke. However, evidence suggests that access to the appropriate dosage (frequency) of rehabilitation is an issue once people have returned to their homes/communities and are beyond the acute phase of recovery.

Virtual reality, combined with telerehabilitation, provides an opportunity for stroke survivors (and others) to connect with their clinicians and for continuity of care and continuation of therapy once they have returned to their homes.

The consultation activity

In August 2022, we invited consumers with the experience of long-term rehabilitation in the home to contribute their expertise and ideas about the VR project.

Consumers participated in a one-off consultation activity in the research planning phase. During the session, the research team outlined the project objectives and invited consumers to provide specific input about the study design and methods from the consumer perspective.

Consumers provided valuable information about the challenges to rehabilitation in the home and how virtual reality (VR) supported by healthcare professionals using telerehabilitation (e.g. via teleconference) could help people with their home exercises.

Consumers lived experiences were incorporated into the project proposal, and two consumers were invited to be a part of the research team moving forward.

Project team

Professor Trevor Russell, Project Lead and Director of RECOVER Injury Research Centre

Dr Megan Ross, Research Fellow

Dr Joshua Simmich, Research Fellow