The Effect of Adding Virtual Reality Training on Traditional Exercise Program on Balance and Gait in Unilateral,...

Lower limb amputation is common in war combat and armed conflict as well as in traumatic settings and presents a challenge for health care providers. The incorporation of advanced technologies, particularly virtual reality, presents an opportunity to address the main consequences of amputation, principally balance and gait. The aim of this study was to investigate the additional effect of virtual reality with a traditional rehabilitation exercise program on balance and gait in unilateral, traumatic lower limb amputees. Thirty-two traumatic lower limb amputees, fulfilling a postfitting rehabilitation program at least 6 months ago, were recruited and randomly assigned into two identically sized groups; group C (control group) experiencing the traditional exercise program and group VR (virtual reality group) experiencing an addition of a virtual reality training. The intervention was conducted over 6 weeks at a rate of three sessions per week. Outcome measures assessed before and after 6 weeks were the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), and 6-minute walk test (6 MWT). Both interventions induced improvement in all measured parameters (P < 0.05); however, virtual reality demonstrated significant superior effects only on the balance markers, TUG test, DGI, and BBS (P < 0.05), but not on the 6 MWT (P > 0.05). Virtual reality is a promising, amusing, and safe intervention for addressing balance and gait in unilateral, traumatic lower limb amputees.