Effects of Virtual Reality on Biomechanical Parameters of Gait in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.
Rafael Reimann Baptista, Alejandra A Huaco Aranguri, Gustavo A Sanchez Zevallos and 2 others
PMID 39372253WHAT IT FOUND
Across 16 small studies, VR training improved gait speed, balance scores, and fall-related measures in adults over 60 compared with non-VR training.
The studies used different equipment and tests, so results could not be combined into one number.
Key findings
01All 16 included studies reported that the VR group outperformed the control group on at least one gait or balance measure, including timed Up and Go, Berg Balance Score, and walking speed.
02The studies could not be pooled into a single estimate because they used different VR equipment, different outcome tests, and different training protocols.
03Five of the 16 studies combined VR with a traditional rehabilitation program. The authors interpret the overall pattern as suggesting combination may outperform either approach alone, but this is their reading of the group of studies rather than a direct head-to-head comparison.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The 16 studies used different VR hardware, different outcome tests, and different training protocols, so no single effect size could be calculated and the results could only be summarised narratively. Individual study sample sizes were small, ranging from 14 to 143 participants, and most did not report a power calculation. No included study provided long-term follow-up, so the durability of the gait improvements is unknown. Six of the 16 studies were experimental (pretest-posttest) rather than randomised, and two were rated as having moderate or high risk of bias. The literature search was limited to publications through July 2021, so more recent trials are not represented. Five studies combined VR with a traditional rehabilitation programme, so the contribution of VR alone cannot be separated from the conventional component in those trials.
Declared interests
The authors state they have no financial or nonfinancial disclosures related to the project.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read 'all 16 studies positive' as proof that VR works for gait in a way you can generalise to your patients. The studies were small (14 to 143 people), used different equipment and tests, and could not be combined into one estimate. Five of the 16 also included a traditional rehabilitation programme, so the effect of VR alone cannot be separated in those trials. No study followed patients beyond the intervention period, so you do not yet know whether the gains hold.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →