Article

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical effectiveness and the usability of a virtual
reality-based intervention compared with conventional physical therapy in the
balance recovery of individuals with chronic stroke.
DESIGN: Randomized
controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatient neurorehabilitation unit. PARTICIPANTS: A
total of 20 individuals with chronic stroke. INTERVENTIONS:
The intervention
consisted of 20 one-hour sessions, five sessions per week. The experimental group
combined 30 minutes with the virtual reality-based intervention with 30 minutes
of conventional training. The control group underwent one hour conventional
therapy. MAIN MEASURES: Balance performance was assessed at the beginning and at
the end of the trial using the Berg Balance Scale, the balance and gait subscales
of the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment, the Brunel Balance
Assessment, and the 10-m Walking Test. Subjective data of the virtual
reality-based intervention were collected from the experimental group, with a
feedback questionnaire at the end of the trial. RESULTS: The results revealed a
significant group-by-time interaction in the scores of the Berg Balance Scale (p
< 0.05) and in the 10-m Walking Test (p < 0.05). Post-hoc analyses showed greater
improvement in the experimental group: 3.8 +/-2.6 vs. 1.8 +/-1.4 in the Berg
Balance Scale, -1.9 +/-1.6 seconds vs. 0.0 +/-2.3 seconds in the 10-m Walking
Test, and also in the number of participants who increased level in the Brunel
Balance Assessment (chi(2) = 2.5, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Virtual reality
interventions can be an effective resource to enhance the improvement of balance
in individuals with chronic stroke.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2014.

Langue : ANGLAIS