The Effect of Virtual Reality Exercise Program on Sitting Balance Ability of Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Healthcare, 2021 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9020183 · Published: February 9, 2021

Spinal Cord Injury Assistive Technology Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study investigated whether using virtual reality (VR) exercise programs can improve the sitting balance of people with spinal cord injuries. Twenty participants were split into two groups: one group used VR exercises along with regular rehabilitation, and the other group had regular sitting balance training and rehabilitation. The VR group used a system with a platform that measured their balance and showed them virtual tasks like rally driving or downhill skiing. Both groups participated in their respective programs for 30 minutes a day, three times a week, for eight weeks. The study found that both groups improved their sitting balance, but the VR exercise program group showed significantly greater improvements in balance and stability compared to the group that received regular sitting balance training. This suggests VR can be a beneficial addition to rehabilitation for spinal cord injury patients.

Study Duration

8 weeks

Participants

20 subjects with spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Randomized controlled study

Key Findings

1
Significant differences were found for the FSA (force sensitive application) and LOS (limit of stability) between pre-test and post-test in both groups, indicating improvements in sitting balance.
2
The experimental group (VR therapy) showed a statistically significant increase in scores of all assessments compared to the control group, indicating VR therapy was more effective.
3
The virtual reality training program was effective in improving static and dynamic balance abilities.

Research Summary

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a virtual reality-based balance training program on the sitting balance ability of patients with spinal cord injury. The results showed that when VR therapy providing functional tasks to the lower extremity was co-administered with general rehabilitation therapy, greater improvement in lower extremity function was seen in spinal cord injury patients, as compared to administering general rehabilitation therapy alone. The findings suggest that virtual reality exercise program can be applied as a useful approach for spinal cord injury patients.

Practical Implications

Rehabilitation Tool

VR therapy combined with standard rehabilitation therapy might be an ideal rehabilitation tool for improving lower extremity function in spinal cord injury patients.

Improved Balance

Virtual reality game training that can induce torso movement and stability was found to be effective in improving static and dynamic balance abilities.

Treatment intervention

Combination of virtual reality training and conventional rehabilitation therapy will help to improve the sitting balance ability of patients with spinal cord injury and will become an important intervention method for treating patients with spinal cord injury.

Study Limitations

1
Small sample size
2
Difference in performance caused by different injury sites or individual balance ability was not considered in detail.
3
More research is necessary to supplement these limitations by including more subjects and evaluating individual subjects according to their level of neurological damage in order to ﬁnd more personalized programs that match the level of need for each patient.

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