Eﬀectiveness of Virtual Reality on Functional Performance after Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2020 · DOI: 10.3390/jcm9072065 · Published: July 1, 2020

Spinal Cord Injury Assistive Technology Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injuries often limit daily activities. This study examines if virtual reality can help improve functional performance in SCI patients. The study reviewed multiple articles, comparing virtual reality interventions with conventional physical therapy to see which is more effective. The analysis suggests virtual reality may not be more effective than traditional physical therapy for improving functional performance in SCI patients.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

150 participants (control group, n = 69; intervention group, n = 81)

Evidence Level

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Key Findings

1
Conventional physical therapy showed favorable results for functional independence compared to virtual reality interventions.
2
The study found no solid conclusions regarding the efficacy of VR interventions on quality of life due to methodological quality and statistical power.
3
Longer training times with virtual reality may produce better effects on functional performance, suggesting intervention duration is a key factor.

Research Summary

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the eﬀectiveness of VR on functional performance in patients with SCI. the results obtained in our study revealed that VR interventions might not be more eﬀective than CPT in improving functional performance in patients with SCI. we can conclude that the current evidence of VR interventions to improve functional performance after SCI is limited and VR may not be more eﬀective than CPT in improving functional performance in patients with SCI.

Practical Implications

Immersive VR Needed

Non-immersive VR may not benefit functional performance; immersive VR should be used to improve patient attention and outcomes.

Longer VR Training

Explore long-duration VR interventions, as intervention duration may be a key factor in functional recovery.

Level of Injury Consideration

Determine VR feasibility based on the level of spinal cord injury, as lower levels appear more suited to VR interventions.

Study Limitations

1
Different injury levels of the patients were not analyzed separately
2
Limited number of studies reviewed, so the results should be interpreted with caution
3
Most studies use convenience samples, which could result in possible selection biases

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