Effects of Virtual Reality on the Limb Motor Function, Balance, Gait, and Daily Function of Patients with Stroke: Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: This systematic review aimed to clarify the effectiveness of virtual reality rehabilitation on physical outcomes for people with stroke. Materials and Methods: Articles were searched through PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, CINAHL, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, from inception to 30 April 2022. Methodological quality was scored using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 tool. Each systematic review for the outcome of interest was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. Results: Twenty-six articles were selected. These studies evaluated the effectiveness of virtual reality on limb motor function, balance, gait, and daily function in patients with stroke. The findings suggested a beneficial effect of virtual reality; there was a “very low” to “moderate” quality of evidence for improved limb extremity function, balance, and daily function, and a “very low” to “moderate” quality of evidence for improved gait. Conclusions: Despite widespread interest in the use of virtual reality rehabilitation, high-quality evidence for its routine use in stroke treatment is lacking. Further research is needed to determine the treatment modality, duration, and long-term effects of virtual reality on stroke populations.