Effectiveness of mixed reality-based rehabilitation on motor function in Parkinson's disease. A two-arm randomized...

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor signs affecting balance and activities of daily living. Mixed reality is a technological tool that projects digital elements in real time and space, enabling continuous, interactive, and functional motor tasks in a repetitive manner.

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a mixed reality interventional tool for the rehabilitation of balance, postural control, and hand dexterity in people with Parkinson's disease compared to traditional physiotherapy.

In this 3-month intervention study, 30 people with Parkinson's disease (Hoehn and Yahr: 1-3) were randomly assigned to receive mixed reality (n=15) or traditional physiotherapy (n=15), while 15 healthy elderly participants were included as a control group. Participants completed 36 sessions of 30 minutes, three days per week for 12 weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at 4-week follow-up.

Analysis of the Mini-BESTest showed no statistically significant differences between the two interventional groups over time (p=0.72), while both intervention groups differed significantly from the control group at post-intervention (mixed reality: p<0.001; traditional physiotherapy: p=0.002). For the Multi-Directional Reach Test, the rightward reach showed a significant Time × Group interaction (p=0.04), indicating that the pattern of change differed across groups, with significant between-group differences (p<0.001) reflecting superior performance of the mixed reality group. Similar results were obtained for leftward reach, with a significant Time × Group interaction (p=0.007) and between-group differences (p=0.005). Analysis of the 9-Hole Peg Test demonstrated significant improvements in both non-dominant (p=0.008) and dominant hand performance (p<0.001) in favour of mixed reality.

These findings suggest that mixed reality is a safe and engaging rehabilitation option that can support improvements in functional performance in people with Parkinson's disease. Further research with larger samples is needed to clarify its comparative effectiveness across different domains of balance and hand function.