Effects of trunk exercises using virtual reality technology on trunk performance and impairment post stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACTObjective To systematically explore the effects of trunk exercises using virtual reality technology compared to conventional exercises for trunk impairment in patients with subacute and chronic strokes.Methods A comprehensive search of literature published from inception until December 2022 was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE, and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). The inclusion criteria encompassed all randomized controlled trials (RCT) published in the English language involving adults who had had strokes and the evaluation of the effectiveness of virtual reality -based trunk exercises in reducing trunk impairment post stroke as measured by the trunk control test (TCT) and/or the trunk impairment scale (TIS) compared to conventional trunk exercises.Result A total of 397 studies were retrieved, and six studies were included in the current analysis. A random-effects meta-analysis of six studies indicated that video games had a very large, significant effect (SMD = 1.11; 95%, P < 0.0001) on the delivery of trunk exercises to reduce trunk impairment post stroke at both the subacute and chronic stages.Conclusion The study findings indicate that trunk exercises using virtual reality have a highly significant effect on reducing trunk impairment in patients with subacute and chronic stroke. Large RCTs are needed to study the effects of virtual reality trunk exercises on the acute, subacute, and chronic stages of stroke.KEYWORDS: Cerebrovascular accidenthemiplegiahemiparesisvirtual realityvideo gametrunk controlrehabilitation AcknowledgmentsAll authors thank Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Supplementary materialSupplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10749357.2023.2261701.Additional informationFundingThe authors extend their appreciation to the King Salman center For Disability Research for funding this work through Research Group no KSRG-2023-462.