A virtual reality machine has been helping injured soldiers and civilians learn how to walk again for the last year in Ottawa.

The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre has one of the two Computer Assisted Rehab Environment (CAREN) machines in Canada.

It has been helping patients with their walking therapy since last March, a partner between the hospital foundation and the Canadian Forces.

Those who use it said it helps them stay motivated and have a bit of fun.

"You kind of get lost in what you're doing and you forget that this is on a treadmill on a platform and with a harness on," said Dave Lapp, who was injured in a cycling accident.

His exercises include working with his balance on a simulated boat ride and walking through hills on a treadmill.

"I can do those things here, I can do something that is sort of pushing the limits," he said. "If I fall, well OK I might end up down in the harness swinging but that's not going to hurt me."

"With this technology we can work on fall prevention by just challenging people to a higher level with balance reactions and walking," said his physiotherapist Andrea Chase.

CAREN has an adjustable platform to suit the needs of each patient and is designed to go along with more traditional physiotherapy.

"People come once or twice a week," said Courtney Bridgewater. "You just see leaps and bounds in improvement in what they can do."

Bushra Saeed is using CAREN after she lost part of her leg in the explosion that killed five Canadians in Afghanistan, including journalist Michelle Lang.

"I wouldn't be trusting my leg as much, I wouldn't be doing a lot of the activities and walking as much as I do now," she said.

"Usually they're between parallel bars for the first week, but I can still bring them here and challenge them a different way than just walking back and forth in the bars," said her therapist Marie Andree.

About 15 people use CAREN every day, including people who have suffered a stroke or brain injuries.

The other machine is at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman