Effectiveness of Computer-Aided interventions and Virtual Reality in Wrist and Hand rehabilitation: a Scoping Review Protocol

BackgroundTo date, advances in the technological and medical fields have increased the application of virtual reality tools, smartphone apps, and computer-aided therapy in clinical and rehabilitation settings. These tools have been shown to enhance patient involvement and improve self-efficacy in their treatment pathways. However, in orthopaedic and rheumatology fields, studies remain limited, and comprehensive reviews providing an exhaustive overview are lacking. ObjectiveThe purpose of this Scoping Review is to provide a general overview of the use of virtual reality and computer aided equipment in musculoskeletal and rheumatological rehabilitation of the wrist and hand, outlining the main types of instruments used, how they are applied, describing any gaps in the literature and possible future developments on the use of VR and PC-aided treatments. Eligibility criteriaThis study will contain articles that included a population with hand and/or wrist deficits attributable to musculoskeletal and/or rheumatological pathologies or traumas and who undertook a rehabilitation programme focusing on virtual reality or computer aided devices. All studies with subjects suffering from neurological pathologies, such as stroke or Parkinsons disease, will be excluded. MethodsThis scoping review will be carried out following the guidance of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Articles will be searched in databases such as PubMed (Medline), Cochrane central, Scopus, Pedro and CINHALcomplete from December 2024. Additional studies will be selected through grey literature, such as Google Scholar. Article selection and data mining will be done by three reviewers, while a fourth will resolve any discrepancies or disputes. No restrictions on type of publication will apply; only articles written since 2014 and written in Italian or English will be considered. Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is unnecessary for this study.