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Game-Based Virtual Reality Training Improves Sitting Balance after Spinal Cord Injury: A Single-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial

Sajin Tak, Wonjae Choi, Seungwon Lee

Med Sci Tech 2015; 56:53-59

DOI: 10.12659/MST.894514


BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) is a useful device for rehabilitation methods. It is a motivational device to stimulate physical activity and function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of game-based VR training using Nintendo Wii on sitting balance ability in participants with spinal cord injury (SCI).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: SCI survivors (N=26, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale category A or B) were randomly allocated into the following 2 groups: the virtual reality group (n=13) and the control group (n=13). Both groups received conventional rehabilitation for 5 sessions 60~90 minutes per week for 6 weeks. The VR group completed an additional 6 weeks (30 minutes ×3 sessions/week) of Nintendo Wii-based VR balance training to improve static balance ability (postural sway distance, postural sway velocity) and dynamic balance ability (modified functional reach test [mFRT], T-shirt test).
RESULTS: Both groups showed significant improvement in static and dynamic balance ability (p<.05). When comparing among groups, there was significant improvement in static and dynamic balance ability with respect to; anterior-posterior (AP) and total postural sway distance (p<.05); AP and total postural sway velocity (p<.05); left, front and right mFRT (p<.05); and the T-shirt test (p<.05). There was no significant change in mediolateral (ML) postural sway distance and velocity.
CONCLUSIONS: VR training improved static and dynamic balance ability in SCI survivors, and its application may be useful as a balance improvement program in home and inpatient rehabilitation for SCI.

Keywords: postural balance, Rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injuries, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

This paper has been published under Creative Common Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) allowing to download articles and share them with others as long as they credit the authors and the publisher, but without permission to change them in any way or use them commercially.
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