Virtual Reality Training as an Intervention to Reduce Falls

Abstract

Falls result from interactions between multiple individual and environmental risk factors. Research over the last decades has clearly demonstrated the strong connection between balance, gait and falls, on the one hand, and cognitive function, on the other hand. Due to the multifaceted aspects of falls, therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing fall risk should be designed to address both motor and cognitive aspects of safe gait. Virtual reality enables individualized repetitive practice of motor function, graded in accordance to the needs and the ability of the person, while engaging in and stimulating cognitive processes. This chapter summarizes the rationale behind using virtual reality technology for fall prevention and the available evidence to support novel interventions.