Abstract
BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) training is a promising intervention strategy that has been utilized in health care fields like stroke rehabilitation and psychotherapy. Current studies suggest that VR training is effective in improving the locomotor ability of stroke patients.ObjectiveThis is the first meta-meta-analysis of the effects of VR on motor function in stroke patients. This study aimed to systematically summarize and quantify the present meta-analyses results of VR training and produce high-quality meta-meta-analysis results to obtain a more accurate prediction.MethodsWe searched 4 online databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) for meta-analysis studies. After accounting for overlap, 10 studies (accounting for almost 550 stroke patients) were obtained. Based on the meta-meta-analysis of these patients, this study quantified the impact of VR training on stroke patients’ motor performance, mainly including upper limb function, balance, and walking ability. We combined the effects under the random effect model and pooled the estimates as standardized mean differences (SMD).ResultsThe results of the meta-meta-analysis showed that VR training effectively improves upper limb function (SMD 4.606, 95% CI 2.733-6.479, P<.05) and balance (SMD 2.101, 95% CI 0.202-4.000, P<.05) of stroke patients. However, the results showed considerable heterogeneity and thus, may need to be treated with caution. Due to the limited research, a meta-meta-analysis of walking ability was not performed.ConclusionsThese findings represent a comprehensive body of high-quality evidence that VR training is more effective at improving upper limb function and balance of stroke patients.
Highlights
MethodsStroke is the most common cause of chronic physical disabilities, such as dyskinesia
The main advantage of Virtual reality (VR) training is that stroke patients can think of it as an exciting game rather than as treatment; VR training can help users focus their attention completely on the task, improving motivation and treatment compliance, which can be of great benefit in recovering from poststroke trauma [7]
A total of 10 studies was obtained: 6 studies evaluated the rehabilitation of upper limb function (Table 1), 4 studies evaluated the rehabilitation of balance (Table 2), and 2 studies evaluated the rehabilitation of walking function (Table 3)
Summary
MethodsStroke is the most common cause of chronic physical disabilities, such as dyskinesia. Most stroke patients have dyskinesia, which causes different degrees of impediment to upper limb function, walking ability, and balance. Current studies suggest that VR training is effective in improving the locomotor ability of stroke patients. Objective: This is the first meta-meta-analysis of the effects of VR on motor function in stroke patients. Based on the meta-meta-analysis of these patients, this study quantified the impact of VR training on stroke patients’ motor performance, mainly including upper limb function, balance, and walking ability. Results: The results of the meta-meta-analysis showed that VR training effectively improves upper limb function (SMD 4.606, 95% CI 2.733-6.479, P
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