Virtual Reality and Robotics in Inflammatory Myopathy Rehabilitation

The Effect of a Virtual Reality-Based Robot-Assisted Dual-Task Intervention on Motor Rehabilitation and Psychological Distress in Patients With Inflammatory Myopathy: a Randomised Controlled Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a virtual reality based robot assisted dual task intervention leads to better rehabilitation effects than standard physical therapy in patients with inflammatory myopathy. The main question it aims to answer is whether a non-immersive virtual reality based rehabilitation improves muscular strength and relieves psychological distress to a greater extent than standard physical therapy conducted by physiotherapists.

• Participants will be divided into intervention and control group.
• The control group will participate in a standard rehabilitation program consisting of exercise sessions with physiotherapists.
• The intervention group will train on the robotic devices (Zebris treadmill, Alfa stabilometric platform, Diego robotic set).
• Both group will train from 4 to 6 weeks, 5 times a week.
• 6 weeks after completing the rehabilitation program, patients will return for a follow-up assessement.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age ≥ 18 y.o,
• meeting the Bohan/Peter criteria for myositis or the ENMC criteria for immune-mediated necrotising myopathy and for inclusion body myositis,
• reduced muscular strength defined by ≤ 64/80 result in MMT-8 and/or ≤ 7/10 result in MMT in ≥ 1 proximal muscle group

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe cardiopulmonary diseases,
• concurrent malignancies,
• severe psychiatric disorders
• injuries and comorbidities preventing exercise participation