A Comparative Study of Traditional Treadmill Training Vs. Vr-Assisted Treadmill Training in Post-Stroke Patients.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: The integration of Virtual Reality (VR) in post-stroke rehabilitation has garnered significant attention due to its potential in enhancing recovery outcomes. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of traditional treadmill training with VR-assisted treadmill training in improving gait and balance among post-stroke patients.
METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at selected hospitals in Lahore. 100 post-stroke patients were equally divided into traditional treadmill and VR-assisted treadmill training groups. The intervention spanned six weeks. Outcome variables, including gait speed, Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) times, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score, and perceived effort, were measured pre and post-intervention.
RESULTS: The VR-assisted group exhibited superior improvements across all outcomes. Gait speed showed a mean increase of +0.4 m/s for the VR-assisted group compared to +0.2 m/s in the traditional group (P<0.01). TUGT scores revealed a sharper reduction in the VR-assisted group (-4.2 seconds) than the traditional group (-2.5 seconds) (P<0.01). BBS scores in the VR-assisted group increased by a mean of +8, double the increase observed in the traditional group (P<0.01). Additionally, the perceived effort declined more significantly in the VR-assisted group.
CONCLUSION: VR-assisted treadmill training offers more pronounced benefits in gait speed, balance, and perceived effort in post-stroke patients than traditional treadmill training. Integration of VR in rehabilitation protocols could optimize recovery outcomes in post-stroke patients.
KEYWORDS: Virtual Reality, post-stroke rehabilitation, treadmill training, gait speed, balance, perceived effort.
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