Virtual reality training enhances gait poststroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Neurology

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) interventions show promise for managing neurological disorders like stroke.
• A comprehensive review is needed to establish the evidence for VR's impact on gait.
• Previous research indicates potential benefits, but a metastatistical consensus is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a state of evidence for the effects of VR on gait performance in stroke survivors.
• To conduct both between- and within-group meta-analyses to assess VR intervention effectiveness.
• To synthesize findings from existing literature on VR-based gait training.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed across nine databases adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Included 32 studies with 809 participants, analyzing gait parameters.
• Conducted between- and within-group meta-analyses and subgroup analyses.

Main Results:

• VR-based interventions demonstrated significant gait parameter enhancements compared to conventional therapy.
• Between-group analysis showed medium effects of VR on cadence (g=0.55), stride length (g=0.46), and gait speed (g=0.30).
• Within-group analysis revealed positive medium effects on cadence (g=0.76), stride length (g=0.61), and gait speed (g=0.69).
• Combined VR and robot-assisted gait training showed beneficial effects on gait speed (g=0.50).

Conclusions:

• Findings provide robust evidence for the effectiveness of VR-based gait training in stroke rehabilitation.
• VR interventions offer a valuable tool for improving gait performance and recovery in stroke survivors.
• Further research into combined VR and robotic interventions may enhance gait speed outcomes.