20 chronic stroke patients; mean age = 60.7 years; mean years after stroke = 3.8
Experimental VR-based treadmill training (stepping over virtual objects while walking on treadmill) Control Stepping over real foam objects on a 10 m walkway
6 sessions of 60 min/session, 3x/week for 2 weeks
Gait velocity and stride length: walking test; balance: balance test; ability to step over obstacles: obstacle test; walking endurance: 6 min talk test.
Baseline, end of treatment, and 2-week retention
Greater improvement in experimental group in gait velocity during the fast walk test (). Subjects in both groups improved in stride length, walking endurance, and obstacle clearance capacity.
10 chronic stroke patients; mean age = 57.1 years; months after stroke = 18.8
Experimental IREX VR Control None
20 sessions of 60 min/session, 5x/week for 4 weeks
Laterality Index (LI) and locomotor recovery: fMRI; motor function: functional ambulation category (FAC) and Modified Motor Assessment Scale (MMAS).
Baseline, end of treatment
Greater improvement in experimental group in the FAC and MMAS (). Also, the LI of the SMC area of the VR group increased significantly, compared to the control.
20 chronic stroke patients; mean age = 58.2 years; years after stroke = 6.0
Experimental VR-based treadmill training. Control Traditional non-VR treadmill training
9 sessions of 20 min/session, 3x/week for 3 weeks
Walking speed: 10 m walk test; community walking time: comfortable pace for 400 m in the community; mobility in ambulatory activities: walking ability questionnaire (WAQ); balance confidence: activities-specific balance confidence.
Baseline, end of treatment, and 1 month retention
Greater improvement in experimental group in the walking speed and community walking time at end of treatment and in WAQ at 1 month retention ().
16 sessions of 30 min/session, 4x/week for 4 weeks
Balance: Balance Performance Monitor and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) tests; gait performance: 10 m walk test, Modified Motor Assessment Scale (MMAS), and GAITRite.
Baseline, end of treatment
Greater improvement in experimental group in the BBS, balance and dynamic balance angles, 10 m walk test, velocity, MMAS, cadence, step time, and step length ().
12 sessions of 60 min/session, 3x/week for 4 weeks
Gait speed: walking on a 7-meter walkway; walking capacity: 6 min walk test; home and community walking: Patient Activity Monitor.
Baseline, end of treatment, and 3-month retention
Greater improvement in experimental group in velocity and distance walked in the lab and in the distance walked and number of steps taken in the community ().
18 chronic stroke patients; mean age = 61.4 years; months after stroke = 48.8
Experimental Rutgers Ankle Rehabilitation System Control Non-VR robotic device
12 sessions of 60 min/session, 3x/week for 4 weeks
Kinematic (ROM of ankle and hip joints during gait cycle and ROM of the knee joint during stance and swing phases); kinetic of ankle, knee, and hip joints during stance and swing phases of gait; bilateral spatiotemporal parameters (self-selected walking speed, joint kinetics/kinematics).
Baseline, end of treatment, and 3-month retention
Larger increase in experimental group in ankle power generation at push-off () and larger change in ankle ROM (19.5%). Also, greater increase in knee ROM of the affected side of the experimental group during stance and swing.
14 acute stroke patients; mean age = 61 years; months after stroke = 16.7.
Experimental VR-based treadmill training Control Traditional non-VR treadmill training
9 sessions of 20 min/session, 3x/week for 3 weeks
Gait patterns including centre of pressure (COP) related outcomes: during quiet standing, sit-to-stand transfer, and level walking on a 5-meter walkway.
Baseline, end of treatment
Greater improvement in experimental group in COP maximum sway in medial-lateral direction during quiet stance ().
30 chronic stroke patients; mean age = 66.1 years; years after stroke = 3.0
Experimental Nintendo Wii Fit and Wii Sport, EyeToy Play 2 and Kinect Control normal daily activity
20 sessions of 50–60 min/day, 4x/week for 5 weeks
Lower extremity movement: Fugl-Meyer; balance: Berg Balance Scale; gait and walking: Dynamic Gait Index, TUG, 6 min walk test, and 3-meter walk; and perception of recovery.
