September 8th, 2008 | 
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Imaging having had a stroke, your walking is lopsided and you walk with a stick. You don’t enjoy walking any more ‘cos it’s such a chore. Exercising on a tread mill in physio is soo boring. It’s no wonder you aren’t getting any better at it. Easier to sit, be pushed around in a wheel chair as people can’t wait, and gradually become less mobile.
Now enter virtual reality. You are stood on a treadmill, but in front of you is a city-scape, a forest or a mountain. As you walk on the treadmill the scene moves with you. The brain “forgets” about walking and concentrates on the imagery. Being relaxed means the walking gets better and people can go further and faster than they thought they could.
I really would have liked that 25 years ago.
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