Using virtual reality to help Parkinson’s patients

Using virtual reality to help Parkinson’s patients is profiled by BTW Media because published evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• Keith Wilson, a retired lecturer with Parkinson’s, raised £4,500 to purchase 10 VR headsets and provide free weekly classes, the only of their kind in the UK.
• Parkinson’s UK has funded a £1,000 trial using virtual reality to improve energy, mood, and motivation in Parkinson’s patients, with interest from Age UK and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Parkinson’s UK is promoting the use of virtual reality headsets to alleviate symptoms of the condition, including tremors, balance issues, and slow and stiff movements, by stimulating the body with adrenaline and dopamine.

Jumping back in time

Retired lecturer Keith Wilson, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s four years ago, had the idea while on vacation in the US and repeatedly rode a rollercoaster. He found that the stimulation could be duplicated with a virtual reality headset.He thought the illness was going back in time.

He raised £4,500 to buy 10 headsets, the only free course of its kind in the UK. Mr Wilson added that scaling up would be difficult, but the potential was huge.

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Janet Murphy, who took the course, concurs: “It’s a bit like going to the gym—you don’t want to go, but after you’ve been, you feel energised, especially if you keep up with the games on the headset and keep getting faster.”

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Future possibilities

Parkinson’s UK donated £1,000 to the trial, sparking interest from other charities such as Age UK and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Tim Morton, Head of the Physical Activity Programme at Parkinson’s UK, said that taking part in just two and a half hours of physical activity a week could make a real difference to patients.

He said, “We are always looking for new ways to encourage our community to be physically active in an enjoyable way, and the trials of virtual reality technology are really exciting; virtual reality technology has already shown some early potential for people with Parkinson’s disease in terms of improving energy levels, mood, and motivation; in the future, as more people try out the technology, we are likely to find more benefits.”