Effect of virtual reality on balance and gait speed in individuals after stroke: case series study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25758/set.864Keywords:
Stroke, Balance, Rehabilitation, Virtual realityAbstract
Introduction – Stroke is a neurological condition that leads to changes in balance and functional limitations. Many individuals do not recover independence in activities of daily living, interfering with their quality of life, which highlights the need to look for strategies to promote motor function improvement. Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative intervention for the rehabilitation of neurological patients, as it promotes motivation and pleasure in performing specific tasks. Purpose – To identify the effects of VR-based therapy on balance and gait speed in individuals after stroke. Methods – A case series study which included two participants from a stroke population with balance deficits, who underwent a VR-based intervention using the Wii console and the Wii Balance Board platform, three sessions per week, for twelve weeks. Three assessment moments were carried out using the Berg Balance Scale, the Timed Up and Go Test, and the 4-meter gait speed test. Results – At the end of the twelve weeks, all the participants showed improvements in the scores of the three tests. Conclusion – The results obtained allow us to conclude that the program based on VR, using Wii console games, provided an improvement in balance and gait speed in two individuals after stroke. This suggests that experimental studies should be carried out to validate these results and strengthen the potential for associating this intervention with conventional therapy.
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