Use of technology using virtual reality as early rehabilitation and increased physical activity levels in hospitalized patients in the intensive care unit

• Grant number: 16/14857-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2016
• End date: September 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Carolina Fu
• Grantee: Tamires Teixeira Gomes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The physical inactivity in health people can predispose to the development of many diseases. In patients admitted in ICU it is not different. The physical inactivity, usually can take the development of immobilism syndrome that cause a lot of modifications in organism systems, mainly respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, can cause balance, coordination problems, delirium and the musculoskeletal system, that presents a loss of 1% - 1,5% of the muscle strength after the admission in ICU. All of these factors reduce the functional capacity, and patients who were functional independent, after the ICU discharge become partial or totally functional dependent, it reduces the quality of life because the patient needs the aid of another person to do the daily basic and instrumental activities. From that, many researches related to early mobilization in ICU have been published, but the studies related to specific technological equipments to increase the patients' level of activity are scarces. One equipment available is the use of virtual reality (videogame), Nintendo Wii®, that are used a lot during rehabilitation of neurological patients. However, there are few studies that evaluate the use of this equipment in the ICU. Our aim is to use the Nintendo Wii® with patients in ICU and evaluate if this equipment can increase the level of activity, its safety and feasibility. Besides this, we will also evaluate the pacients' satisfaction after using this equipment.