%0 Journal Article
%T Does the Inclusion of Virtual Reality Games within Conventional Rehabilitation Enhance Balance Retraining after a Recent Episode of Stroke?
%A B. S. Rajaratnam
%A J. Gui KaiEn
%A K. Lee JiaLin
%A Kwek SweeSin
%A S. Sim FenRu
%A Lee Enting
%A E. Ang YiHsia
%A Ng KeatHwee
%A Su Yunfeng
%A W. Woo YingHowe
%A S. Teo SiaoTing
%J Rehabilitation Research and Practice
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/649561
%X This randomised controlled and double-blinded pilot study evaluated if interactive virtual reality balance related games integrated within conventional rehabilitation sessions resulted in more superior retraining of dynamic balance compared to CR after stroke. 19 subjects diagnosed with a recent episode of stroke were recruited from a local rehabilitation hospital and randomly assigned to either a control or an experimental group. Subjects in the control groups underwent 60 minutes of conventional rehabilitation while those in the experimental groups underwent 40 minutes of convention rehabilitation and 20 minutes of self-directed virtual reality balanced rehabilitation. Functional Reach Test, Timed Up and Go, Modified Barthel Index, Berg Balance Scale, and Centre of Pressure of subjects in both groups were evaluated before and on completion of the rehabilitation sessions. Results indicate that the inclusion of interactive virtual reality balance related games within conventional rehabilitation can lead to improved functional mobility and balance after a recent episode of stroke without increasing treatment time that requires more health professional manpower. 1. Introduction The world is aging and chronic conditions such as stroke are more prevalent [1]. Global fatality from stroke had reduced in most countries, but there is an increased demand for poststroke rehabilitation services [2]. Novel therapy such as virtual reality, robot-aided therapy, and neuromuscular electrostimulation reported varied outcomes during rehabilitation. A review by Oujamaa and colleagues [3] found motor improvement reported in 4 studies and 6 reported functional improvement when mixed techniques of intensive task-oriented repetitive training using constraint induced therapy and bilateral task training were included in their rehabilitation programme in the first 6 months after stroke without any additional hours compared with experimental group. Laver and colleagues [4] found limited evidence to conclude that the use of virtual reality and interactive video gaming improved arm function and activities of daily living (ADL) function when compared with the same dose of conventional therapy. Moreover, conflicting evidence exists to support the transference of trained task from the virtual environment to the real world [5]. Sisto et al. [5] claim that despite virtual reality being able to systematically and in a serial fashion allow one to explore sensory, motor, and visual strategies that are important for movement, it may actually slow down recovery as performance gains are
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/rerp/2013/649561/