Evaluation of the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality-based exercise system for vestibular rehabilitation

Abstract

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality technology assisted vestibular rehabilitation training（VRT） in treating chronic vestibular dysfunction patients. Method:Ninety-eight vestibular dysfunction patients were assigned into the experimental group（n=73） and the control group（n=25） using mechanical sampling. The experimental group received immersive virtual reality assisted VRT treatment, while the control group received conventional VRT treatment. Chinese vertigo symptom scale（VSS-C） was used to measure vertigo symptoms before treatment and 12 weeks post-treatment. Balance feedback instrument was used to measure the center of pressure（COP）, maximum oscillation length（MOL） and COP envelope area（EA） which smaller numbers indicating better balance functions. Analysis of variance and Fisher's exact test were performed using SPSS 20.0 software to compare mean values and frequencies, respectively. Result:①Before treatment as baseline, there were no statistically significant differences in the total score of VSS-C scale, balance correlation and anxiety correlation score between the two groups. Total score and balance related score of experimental group were significantly different between before and after treatment（P<0.01）, while no statistically significant difference in anxiety related scores. After treatment, there were statistically significant differences in total VSS-C score（P<0.01） and balance correlation score（P<0.05） between the two groups, while no statistically significant difference in anxiety correlation score. ②After 12 weeks of treatment, there were statistically significant differences between MOL and EA in open-eye state（P<0.01）, but no statistically significant difference in close-eye state between two groups. Conclusion:The introduction of VR technology by VRT can provide interesting interactions for patients in training and encourage patients to actively participate in various repetitive rehabilitation exercises that are boring, achieving good effect. The effect of VR on subjective balance rehabilitation without visual impairment is better than that of conventional.