A Virtual Reality-Cycling Training System for Lower Limb Balance Improvement

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Stroke frequently impairs walking and balance, necessitating effective lower limb rehabilitation.
• Traditional cycling rehabilitation can lead to compensatory movements by the unaffected limb, limiting recovery of the affected limb.
• Virtual Reality (VR) offers a promising avenue for targeted rehabilitation interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate the functionality of a novel Virtual Reality-Cycling Training System (VRCTS).
• To assess the efficacy of the VRCTS in improving lower limb function in stroke survivors.
• To compare the training effects on limb symmetry between an experimental group using VRCTS and a control group.

Main Methods:

• Development of the VRCTS, integrating real-time cycling force and speed sensing with a controllable VR car interface.
• Recruitment of ten stroke survivors for participation in the study.
• Utilizing bilateral pedal force and force plate measurements to quantify the Asymmetry Ratio Index (ARI) and assess training effects.

Main Results:

• VRCTS training significantly improved bilateral pedal force by 0.22 (p = 0.046).
• Significant improvements were observed in standing balance, measured by the force plate, with an increase of 0.29 (p = 0.031).
• Both outcome measures demonstrated statistically significant training effects, indicating VRCTS efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The VRCTS is a functional system capable of specifically training the affected limb in stroke survivors.
• The system demonstrates significant potential for improving lower limb function, including balance and force generation, post-stroke.
• VR-based interventions like the VRCTS can offer a more targeted and effective approach to stroke rehabilitation.