VR games tested to get ICU patients moving and boost mood
NCT ID NCT06797895
First seen Jan 04, 2026 · Last updated Jun 19, 2026 · Updated 25 times
Summary
This study explores whether virtual reality (VR) can help patients in the cardiothoracic ICU move their arms and feel less anxious or lonely. Thirty adults who have been in the ICU for at least three days with limited mobility will use VR games that involve dancing or hitting objects to music. Nurses will help set up the VR, and patients can play at least once a day. The main goal is to see if this approach is practical and easy to use, not yet to prove it improves health.
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Duke University Hospital
Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
virtual reality (VR) games involving upper body movement
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a simple, drug-free way to help ICU patients regain mobility and reduce anxiety or loneliness during recovery.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early feasibility study with only 30 participants. It focuses on whether the VR setup is practical, not on proving health benefits. Results may not apply to all ICU patients.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.