Article
Virtual reality augments effectiveness of treadmill walking training in patients with walking and balance impairments: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Clinical Rehabilitation
(2022)
Abstract
Objective: To systematically summarize and examine current evidence regarding the combination of virtual
reality and treadmill training in patients with walking and balance impairments.
Data sources: English language randomized controlled trials, participants with walking and balance
impairments, intervention group used virtual reality and treadmill, control group only used treadmill
with the same training frequency and number of sessions. Six bioscience and engineering databases
were searched.
Methods: Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment.
Methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.
Results: Sixteen randomized controlled trials including 829 participants were identified. Compared to
treadmill-only training, virtual reality augmented treadmill training induced significantly faster walking
(p < 0.001; standardized mean difference (SMD) =0.55, 95%CI: 0.30 to 0.81), longer step length (p <
0.001; SMD =0.74, 95%CI: 0.42 to 1.06), narrower step width (p=0.03; SMD =−0.52, 95%CI: −0.97
to −0.06), longer single leg stance period (p =0.003; SMD =0.77, 95%CI: 0.27 to 1.27), better functional
mobility (p=0.003; SMD=−0.44, 95%CI:−0.74 to −0.15), improved balance function (p =0.04; SMD=
0.24, 95%CI: 0.01 to 0.47), and enhanced balance confidence (p =0.03; SMD =0.73, 95%CI: 0.08 to 1.37).
Walking endurance did not differ significantly between groups (p =0.21; SMD =0.13, 95%CI: −0.07 to
0.34).
Conclusions: Virtual reality augmented treadmill walking training enhances outcomes compared to treadmill-
only training in patients with walking and balance impairments. The results of this review support the
clinical significance of combining virtual reality with treadmill training with level 1A empirical evidence.
Keywords
- Virtual reality,
- treadmill training,
- gait,
- balance,
- function
Disciplines
Publication Date
November 10, 2022
DOI
10.1177/02692155221138309
Citation Information
Jie Hao, Thad W. Buster, Guilherme Cesar and Judith M. Burnfield. "Virtual reality augments effectiveness of treadmill walking training in patients with walking and balance impairments: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials" Clinical Rehabilitation (2022) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gui-cesar/66/