Virtual Rehabilitation Market Report: By Type (Physical Rehabilitation, Neurorehabilitation & Cognitive Rehabilitation), End User (Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centers and Clinics, Homecare Settings) - Revenue Estimation and Demand Forecast to 2030

Market Overview

The global virtual rehabilitation market size stood at an estimated $325.6 million in 2021, which is projected to advance at a CAGR of 24.3% during 2021–2030. The growth of the industry is primarily attributed to the increase in the cases of disability and rise in the usage of virtual reality (VR) in treating patients.

VR technologies are becoming more accessible and economical to deploy, and, as a result, the interest in using them for rehabilitation is expanding. Recent technical advancements have enabled the development of more-affordable and accessible virtual reality systems for use in a variety of contexts, in addition to allowing for the development of complex and expensive systems for regulated clinical conditions. As a result, therapists are already evaluating this, which may be provided to patients and, then, maintained by them.

Additionally, the business of virtual reality was set to hit a massive $30-billion size by the end of 2020, with an expectation of over 135 million headsets of these kinds, being used by 2025. Further, according to an article, in 2017, there were approximately 2 million non-Google virtual reality devices, and a staggering 37 million devices were in use at the end of 2020. The industry is still in the initial stages, and the growth is set to be only upward from here on.

The pandemic has impacted all aspects of people's lives, including how they work, play, learn, exercise, and socialize. The VR technology has the potential to mitigate many of the challenges brought upon by the pandemic, which has spurred an increase in its adoption. People with disability adopted these devices on a large scale amidst the pandemic in order to be fit, as they were comparatively more vulnerable to the virus. Thus, a positive impact of the pandemic has been seen on the virtual rehabilitation market growth.

Increasing Cases of Disability among Population Driving Demand for Virtual Rehabilitation

While many organizations use virtual reality as a fun marketing tool, the technology has the potential to improve and aid disabled persons in their recuperation, adventure, and other activities. It can also help businesses better understand the needs of disabled people and increase inclusion.

According to the WHO, about 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability, and among them, 2–4% experience significant difficulties in functioning. Additionally, according to the CDC, 1 in 4 U.S. adults, or a total of 61 million Americans, have a disability that impacts major life activities. With age, disability becomes more common, affecting about 2 in 5 adults aged 65 and more. The main benefit of virtual rehabilitation for disabled people is that they can engage in a range of activities on a simulator, relatively free from the limitations imposed by their disability, and they can do so in safety.

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Use of VR in Treatment of Patients Is Becoming More Common

The virtual rehabilitation industry is driven by the increasing use of virtual reality in treating patients. The technology is rapidly being used in healthcare for diagnosis, therapy, and training purposes. With newer technology and smoother internet connections, this trend is expected to improve. VR transforms patients' therapy sessions into a gamified experience that inspires users to strive for greater results through virtual goals and achievements, by bringing rehabilitation activities into the virtual environment. Instead of a real therapist, software's built-in artificial intelligence (AI) can provide thorough advice and encouraging support, thus enabling a less-expensive and more-time-flexible, personalized therapy.

Virtual reality is also being increasingly employed in virtual physical therapy, which provides patients with a variety of exercises, ranging from general orthopedic ones to specialized ones for injury recovery. The exercises can also be tailored to certain age groups, for assisting toddlers in the development of motor skills and older patients in maintaining their agility.

Virtual Neurorehabilitation & Cognitive Rehabilitation Seeing Significant Growth

The neurorehabilitation & cognitive rehabilitation category will see significant growth, with a CAGR of around 25%, during 2021–2030. This will mostly be owing to an increase in the occurrence of neurological illnesses, such as brain stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries, as well as the rising public knowledge of various neurorehabilitation approaches. In addition, virtual rehabilitation makes it easy for the patient to engage in cognitive rehabilitation activities with exergame exercises, which improve executive function in older adults.

Rehabilitation Centers and Clinics Are Adopting Virtual Rehabilitation Rapidly

Rehabilitation centers and clinics contributed more than 40% revenue to the market in 2021. This was because at rehabilitation centers and clinics, patients interact with the trainer directly, which helps them become familiar with the virtual rehabilitation process easily, thereby increasing the chances of recovery.

North America To Hold Largest Share

The North American market is growing due to the presence of major players, such as Bridgeway Senior Healthcare, Virtualware Group, Brontes Processing, Hinge Health Inc., SWORD Health Inc., and Bridgeway Senior Healthcare. Moreover, the developed healthcare infrastructure and various policies supporting virtual rehabilitation are also expected to aid the market growth.

Europe is the fastest-growing region in the virtual rehabilitation market, owing to the increasing number of disability cases in the region. According to the Federal Statistical Office, in 2016, there were roughly 7.9 million severely disabled people in Germany, which was an increase of approximately 136,000, or 1.8%, from the end of 2017. In addition, according to the WHO, an estimated 135 million people in Europe live with a disability. And, with the population rapidly aging and prevalence of non-communicable diseases and injuries rising, this number is set to increase in the future.

Market Players Are Involving in Acquisitions and Introducing Products to Gain Competitive Edge

The global virtual rehabilitation market is fragmented in nature, with the presence of major players. In recent years, they have pursued the trend of product launches and acquisitions in order to stay ahead of their competitors. For instance:

• In September 2021, Hinge Health Inc. acquired wrnch, a developer of a computer vision platform for measuring human motion. This acquisition was aimed at allowing Hinge Health to deliver comprehensive and personalized, digital physical therapies.
• In October 2020, SWORD Health Inc. added a wrist therapy to its virtual musculoskeletal care solution portfolio. The solution provides non-invasive relief for chronic and post-surgical conditions of the lower back, shoulder, neck, knee, elbow, hip, ankle, and lungs through therapeutic exercise, education, behavioral coaching, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Key Players in Virtual Rehabilitation Market Are:

• CoRehab srl
• Brontes Processing
• Hinge Health Inc.
• SWORD Health Inc.
• MIRA Rehab Limited
• Bridgeway Senior Healthcare
• Motek Medical B.V.
• GestureTek Inc.
• Virtualware Group
• Neuro Rehab VR

Market Size Breakdown by Segment

The report offers comprehensive market segmentation analysis along with market estimation for the period 2017–2030.

Based on Type

• Physical Rehabilitation
• Neurorehabilitation & Cognitive Rehabilitation

Based on End User

• Hospitals
• Rehabilitation Centers and Clinics
• Homecare Settings

Geographical Analysis

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • U.K.
  • Italy
  • France
  • Spain
• Asia-Pacific (APAC)
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • Australia
  • South Korea
• Latin America (LATAM)
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • Turkey
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa