The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality Based Movement Therapy on Upper Extremity Functions and Cognitive Functions in Stroke Patients

AbstractBackground: In this controlled experimental study we aimed to investigate the effect of immersive virtual reality based movement therapy (IVR-MT) on upper extremity functions (UEF), activities of daily living (ADL) and cognitive functions (CF) in chronic stroke patients.Material & Methods: Patients who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned to the study (IVR) or control groups. Both of the groups received ۶۰ minutes/day of conventional rehabilitation program and occupational therapy and the IVR group received ۳۰ minutes/day additional IVR-MT for six weeks. UEF was evaluated by Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), Box and Block Test (BBT), ADL were evaluated by Barthel Index (BI), ۳۶-Item Short Form Survey (SF-۳۶) and CF was evaluated with Mini Mental Test (MMT).Results: There were no differences between the IVR (n=۱۵), control (n=۱۰) groups for demographic and clinical characteristics or baseline results of JTHFT, BBT, BI, SF-۳۶, MMT. At six weeks post-treatment there were significant improvements in the IVR group in scores for moving large light cans (p=۰.۰۰۱) and moving large heavy cans (p=۰.۰۰۳) in the JTHFT, in BBT scores (p=۰.۰۰۴), in MMT (p=۰.۰۳۳) and for physical functioning (p=۰.۰۰۸) in the SF-۳۶. In addition, the change in score in the IVR group for moving large light cans (p=۰.۰۰۸) and moving large heavy cans (p=۰.۰۰۲) at week ۶ was significantly larger than in the control group.Conclusions: These results suggest that additional IVR-MT, in combination with conventional physiotherapy and occupational therapy might improve outcomes in UEF and CF in chronic stroke patients.Abstract Background: In this controlled experimental study we aimed to investigate the effect of immersive virtual reality based movement therapy (IVR-MT) on upper extremity functions (UEF), activities of daily living (ADL) and cognitive functions (CF) in chronic stroke patients. Material & Methods: Patients who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned to the study (IVR) or control groups. Both of the groups received ۶۰ minutes/day of conventional rehabilitation program and occupational therapy and the IVR group received ۳۰ minutes/day additional IVR-MT for six weeks. UEF was evaluated by Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), Box and Block Test (BBT), ADL were evaluated by Barthel Index (BI), ۳۶-Item Short Form Survey (SF-۳۶) and CF was evaluated with Mini Mental Test (MMT). Results: There were no differences between the IVR (n=۱۵), control (n=۱۰) groups for demographic and clinical characteristics or baseline results of JTHFT, BBT, BI, SF-۳۶, MMT. At six weeks post-treatment there were significant improvements in the IVR group in scores for moving large light cans (p=۰.۰۰۱) and moving large heavy cans (p=۰.۰۰۳) in the JTHFT, in BBT scores (p=۰.۰۰۴), in MMT (p=۰.۰۳۳) and for physical functioning (p=۰.۰۰۸) in the SF-۳۶. In addition, the change in score in the IVR group for moving large light cans (p=۰.۰۰۸) and moving large heavy cans (p=۰.۰۰۲) at week ۶ was significantly larger than in the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that additional IVR-MT, in combination with conventional physiotherapy and occupational therapy might improve outcomes in UEF and CF in chronic stroke patients.

Keywords:

cognition , rehabilitation , stroke , upper extremity , virtual reality