Innovative Approach to Comprehensive Spa Rehabilitation of Oncological Patients Using VR Technology

Every year, more women face long-term physical and psychological consequences of oncological therapy after successfully completing breast cancer treatment. In addition to limited mobility, lymphatic oedema, or chronic fatigue, they often experience anxiety, stress, depression, or fear of disease recurrence. These aspects are frequently overlooked in standard rehabilitation care. The VR OnkoSpa project therefore aims to create a comprehensive programme that will support not only physical recovery but also mental well-being, education, and the long-term quality of life of patients.

The system under development uses virtual reality as a tool for interactive movement exercises, relaxation and breathing techniques, psychological support, and patient education. The virtual environment makes it possible to create motivating and safe therapeutic scenarios that would be difficult to achieve under ordinary conditions. Patients thus actively engage in rehabilitation and acquire new skills needed to cope with the effects of treatment and to prevent further complications.

However, the significance of the project extends beyond patient care itself. The Czech spa sector has long faced a shortage of physiotherapists, lymphotherapists, and other specialized professionals. Virtual reality can help increase the availability of rehabilitation care and enable a single trained professional to work simultaneously with a larger number of patients while maintaining a high standard of therapy. The project thus responds to one of the greatest challenges facing the spa sector today and contributes to its modernization.

The project is being carried out in cooperation with the company VR Medical, a leading Czech developer of rehabilitation systems in virtual reality. The result will be certified software intended for spa facilities, rehabilitation centres, and healthcare institutions, which will be usable not only in the Karlovy Vary Region but gradually also in other regions of the Czech Republic and abroad.