Combined Effect of Virtual Reality Training (VRT) and Conventional Therapy on Sitting Balance in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Randomized Control Trial

• Published in: Neurology India Vol. 70; no. 8; pp. 245 - 250
• Main Authors: Nair, Manasa, Kulkarni, Vivek, Shyam, Ashok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.09.2022; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Exercise Therapy - methods; Humans; Neurological Rehabilitation - methods; Postural Balance - physiology; Single-Blind Method; Sitting Position; Spinal cord injuries; Spinal Cord Injuries - complications; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; Spinal Cord Injuries - rehabilitation; Virtual Reality; Paraplegia; xbox kinectKey Message: Sitting balance is an important pre; trunk control; xbox kinect
• ISSN: 0028-3886; 1998-4022
• DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.360934

Background: Post spinal cord injury (SCI), sitting balance is considered a prerequisite for the effective performance of activities of daily living. Virtual Reality Training (VRT) may provide an interactive medium of rehabilitation, preventing a reduction in active participation of the patients while allowing for the training of sitting balance. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of VRT to conventional therapy in improving sitting balance in persons with SCI. Subjects and Methods: This was a single blinded randomized control trial conducted on 21 subjects with SCI (level of injury: D10 or below). They were randomly allocated into two groups; both groups received their routine exercise program. In addition, the intervention group, that is, Group B (n = 11) received 30 min of VRT in the seated position using Xbox-Kinect, while the conventional therapy group, that is, Group A (n = 10) received 30 min of additional conventional therapy to equalize the duration of the intervention (3 days/week, 4 weeks). The modified functional reach test and T-shirt test were measured at the beginning and at the end of 4 weeks. Results: MFRT changes for forward (Group A: 1.7 ± 1.09 cm; Group B: 4.83 ± 2.95 cm), right lateral (Group A: 2.43 ± 2.81 cm, Group B: 5.08 ± 1.85 cm), left lateral (Group A: 3.05 ± 4.65 cm, Group B: 6.19 ± 1.51 cm) were statistically significant for Group B (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the two groups for T-shirt test (P > 0.05). Conclusion: VRT can be used as a part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program to improve sitting balance post-SCI.