Anwar Naveed, Karimi Hossein, Ahmad Ashfaq, Mumtaz Nazia, Saqulain Ghulam, Gilani Syed Amir
Physical Therapy Department, University of Lahore, Lahore 42000, Pakistan.
Riphah College of Rehabilitation & Allied Health Sciences, Riphah International University, Lahore 42000, Pakistan.
J Healthc Eng. 2021 Nov 18;2021:6598726. doi: 10.1155/2021/6598726. eCollection 2021.
Stroke patients suffer impairments including sensory, motor, visual, and cognitive areas, as well as gait and balance manifestations making activities of daily living difficult. In such conditions, virtual reality training can be a potential rehabilitation tool in comparison to conventional physical therapy to cater to the burden of this disability; hence, this randomized clinical trial compared the effects of virtual reality training and conventional physical therapy on balance and lower extremity function in stroke patients. The sample of 68 poststroke participants from Kanaan Physical Therapy and Spine Clinic, Lahore, Pakistan, were divided into = 34 cases each using the lottery method with one group given virtual reality training and the other received conventional physical therapy. Each group received 60 minutes intervention, 3 days per week for 6 weeks. The Berg balance scale and the Fugl-Meyer assessment-lower extremity scale were employed for data collection preintervention, immediate postintervention, and 6 weeks postintervention. The statistically significant differences between virtual reality and conventional physical therapy groups for the Berg Balance score ( < 0.001), Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA)-lower extremity domains of FMA-motor function ( < 0.001), FMA-joint pain, and joint range ( < 0.001); however, there is no significant difference (=0.202) for time vs. group interaction and significant ( < 0.001) for the time main effect for FMA sensation. Hence, virtual reality training is more effective to restore balance and lower extremity function compared to conventional physical therapy in stroke patients. The results of the study have significant implications for the clinicians with better case management enhancing quality of life of patients along with the dearth of local literature, thus providing base for future research from a developing country's perspective.
中风患者会出现包括感觉、运动、视觉和认知领域的功能障碍，以及步态和平衡方面的表现，这使得日常生活活动变得困难。在这种情况下，与传统物理治疗相比，虚拟现实训练可能是一种潜在的康复工具，以应对这种残疾带来的负担；因此，这项随机临床试验比较了虚拟现实训练和传统物理治疗对中风患者平衡和下肢功能的影响。来自巴基斯坦拉合尔卡南物理治疗与脊柱诊所的68名中风后参与者样本，通过抽签法分为两组，每组34例，一组接受虚拟现实训练，另一组接受传统物理治疗。每组接受60分钟干预，每周3天，共6周。在干预前、干预后即刻和干预后6周，采用伯格平衡量表和Fugl-Meyer评估下肢量表进行数据收集。虚拟现实组和传统物理治疗组在伯格平衡评分（<0.001）、Fugl-Meyer评估（FMA）-运动功能的FMA下肢领域（<0.001）、FMA关节疼痛和关节活动范围（<0.001）方面存在统计学显著差异；然而，时间与组间交互作用无显著差异（=0.202），FMA感觉的时间主效应显著（<0.001）。因此，与传统物理治疗相比,虚拟现实训练在恢复中风患者的平衡和下肢功能方面更有效。该研究结果对临床医生具有重要意义，有助于更好地进行病例管理，提高患者生活质量，同时弥补了当地文献的不足，从而从发展中国家的角度为未来研究提供了依据。
