Image source: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
News • Recovery aid
VR rehabilitation after spinal and brain surgery shows promise
Study explored whether VR could help patients practise rehabilitation exercises earlier and more often after serious injury or surgery — something that can be difficult to achieve on busy hospital wards where therapy time is limited.
The early-stage study, led by researchers from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Leeds in partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, explored whether VR technology could help patients practise rehabilitation exercises earlier and more often after serious injury or surgery – something that can be difficult to achieve on busy hospital wards.
Because brain and spinal cord disorders affect systems that are inherently three-dimensional, they may be especially responsive to immersive technologies
Will Bolton
People recovering from a brain injury, spinal cord injury, or major brain or spine surgery often need rehabilitation as soon as possible. Early rehabilitation helps retrain the brain and body, improving the chances of recovery and helping people regain independence. However, delivering enough therapy both inside and outside of hospital can be challenging. Staff are often stretched, therapy time is limited, and patients may be tired, in pain, or too unwell for long sessions.
Researchers wanted to see whether VR could help address this gap by giving patients additional opportunities to practise rehabilitation exercises while still in hospital, with the hope of also improving at home rehabilitation in the future. Using a VR headset, patients took part in simple guided activities in a calming 3D environment. These activities supported movement, concentration and relaxation, and were designed to complement — not replace — therapy delivered by rehabilitation specialists.
Will Bolton, NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Neurosurgery and a Neurosurgery Specialist Registrar at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “It is incredibly exciting to help build a future in which digital technologies safely and effectively augment the healthcare workforce, allowing better care to reach more patients. Spatial computing, including virtual reality, is especially well placed to harness advances in areas such as AI, and because brain and spinal cord disorders affect systems that are inherently three-dimensional, they may be especially responsive to immersive technologies. In this study, we have answered some of the key early questions about whether this technology can be used safely and practically in the acute neurosurgery hospital setting, which has significantly reduced uncertainty. We are now seeking further NIHR support to carry out more definitive studies and, ultimately, bring the benefits of this approach to more patients in Leeds and across the UK.”
Image source: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
The study involved patients aged 16 and over who were recovering from brain tumour surgery, brain injury or spinal cord injury. Participants were offered one VR session a day for up to 14 days, or until they left hospital. The sessions were delivered alongside usual care and supervised by the hospital rehabilitation team. A total of 39 eligible patients receiving treatment at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust were invited to take part in the study. Of these, 36 agreed to take part, demonstrating strong interest in the technology, and 32 went on to use the VR intervention at least once. The project was supported by an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship in neurosurgery and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Leeds, alongside project funding from Leeds Hospitals Charity and the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Injury.
Patients typically started using VR just three days after injury or surgery, demonstrating that the technology could be introduced very early during recovery.
The study found that VR rehabilitation could be delivered safely on a hospital ward. There were no seizures, wound infections or rehabilitation-related injuries within 30 days of VR use. The VR equipment also worked reliably throughout the study, with no technical failures reported.
Most patients tolerated the technology well. A small number experienced mild symptoms such as slightly blurred vision, but no severe side effects like significant dizziness or sickness were reported. The technology was also used successfully by patients across a wide age range. The oldest participant in the study was 89 years old, suggesting that older patients can also benefit from VR-supported rehabilitation.
Brain and spinal cord injuries are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Recovery can take months or years, and many people require long-term care. In the UK alone, the wider economic impact of these conditions — including healthcare costs, lost work and social care needs — is estimated to be around £17 billion each year.
This study helps answer important practical questions that often prevent new technologies from being adopted in the NHS. Researchers were able to show that VR headsets can be used safely after brain surgery, cleaned and reused in hospital settings, and delivered by busy clinical teams on a ward. By demonstrating that VR rehabilitation is feasible and safe, the study moves the technology a step closer to wider testing.
The next step is a larger study across several hospitals to test whether VR-supported rehabilitation improves recovery compared with standard care alone. Researchers will look at outcomes that matter most to patients and the NHS, including how quickly people regain independence, how soon they can leave hospital, their quality of life, and whether the approach offers good value for money. VR rehabilitation could also support a wider shift in care—helping patients continue their recovery at home or in community settings, reducing pressure on hospitals while improving access to rehabilitation.
VR hardware and software were provided in kind by SyncVR Medical as part of a clinical service evaluation.
Source: Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
19.05.2026
