Abstract
Daily rehabilitation after burn injury is vital for the prevention of function-limiting contractures. However, adherence to prescribed therapy following acute burn hospitalization has historically been low and not well-studied. Studies involving virtual reality technology have demonstrated an association with improved functional outcomes in burn therapy. We conducted a 5-year randomized controlled trial comparing 12 weeks of a home-based virtual rehabilitation (HBVR) system with standard burn therapy. Our primary outcome was adherence to prescribed home therapy, measured by e-diary self-report. Secondary outcomes included steps walked daily and patient-reported outcomes regarding stiffness, upper extremity function, and mobility. We enrolled 50 subjects, of which 48 provided data for analysis (23 HBVR, 25 control). Overall adherence to prescribed home therapy was low, 37.2% in the HBVR group and 60.0% in the control group. Reasons for nonadherence in the HBVR group included lack of time, engagement, and replacement of therapy with other physical activity. However, some subjects enjoyed HBVR and believed it aided their recovery. There was no difference in daily steps walked between the 2 groups. Daily walking gradually improved from 3500 steps per day in the first week after baseline and plateaued at 6000 steps per day at week 5. There were no differences in stiffness, upper extremity function, and mobility between the 2 groups at baseline and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. Subjects demonstrated improved upper extremity function and mobility in the first year after discharge, which coincided with increasing stiffness.