Objective: To investigate the efficacy of virtual reality training on improving gait and balance parameters in patients with Parkinson disease.
Background: Parkinson disease is considered one of the neurological conditions that affect gait and balance outcomes. Affected individuals seemed to compensate as a result and developed different abnormal walking patterns. Therefore, several non-pharmacological interventions in the form of physical exercises and gait training have been used in order to improve gained outcomes. Additionally, other new interventions have been appeared recently to serve the same purpose. Virtual reality is considered one of these interventions which used to boost improvements of patients regarding balance and gait outcomes.
Method: Using the following databases, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus we searched for randomized clinical trials assessed the efficacy of virtual reality interventions on gait and balance outcomes in Parkinson disease. Data for included articles were assessed against eligibility and reviewed using PEDRO scale for quality appraisal.
Results: A total of six randomized clinical trials were included in this review. The results of our meta-analysis of included studies revealed that virtual reality exercises were significantly effective in improving balance outcomes (berg balance scale) P=0.027. However, gait outcomes such as time up and go test and dynamic gait index were not significant with the application of virtual reality training interventions. Moreover, none of the included studies reported and adverse events to virtual reality rehabilitation.
Conclusion: Virtual reality training application is effective in improving balance outcomes in patients with Parkinson disease. However, due to the limited number of available randomized clinical trials and the small sample size, the results were not significant in relation to gait outcomes. Therefore, additional number of randomized clinical trials with large sample size are required in order to synthesize a clear evidence supporting its use in clinical practice.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
M. Shahien, A. Abdelhamed, M. Fahmy, H. Elkhodary, R. Salem, H. Samy, A. Elaraby. The Efficacy of Virtual Reality Interventions on Gait and Balance in Patients with Parkinson Disease. A systematic review of randomized clinical trials with meta-analysis. [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2023; 38 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-efficacy-of-virtual-reality-interventions-on-gait-and-balance-in-patients-with-parkinson-disease-a-systematic-review-of-randomized-clinical-trials-with-meta-analysis/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2023 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-efficacy-of-virtual-reality-interventions-on-gait-and-balance-in-patients-with-parkinson-disease-a-systematic-review-of-randomized-clinical-trials-with-meta-analysis/