Efficacy of non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation on postural stability in Parkinson's disease: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.
Michela Goffredo, Francesca Baglio, Roberto DE Icco and 12 others
PMID 37847247WHAT IT FOUND
Non-immersive VR telerehabilitation improved balance more than at-home exercises in people with Parkinson's.
The VR group gained 1.7 points on a 28-point balance scale versus 0.70 for the exercise group, a difference the study found significant.
Key findings
01The primary outcome, the mini-BESTest total score (0-28 scale), improved by 1.7 points in the VR telerehabilitation group and 0.70 points in the exercise group, with a significant between-group difference (P=0.029).
02The dynamic walking subcomponent (0-10 scale) improved by 0.79 points in the VR group versus 0.25 in the exercise group, a significant between-group difference (P=0.013) with a moderate effect size (Cohen's d: 0.653).
03The motor section of the MDS-UPDRS (Part III) decreased by 2.5 points in the VR group versus 0.35 in the exercise group (P<0.05).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only mild disability was included (H&Y 2-3), so the findings cannot be extended to more advanced Parkinson's. No follow-up assessment was done, so it is unknown whether the balance gains were maintained after the 6-10 week programme ended. The VR system did not include exercises for gait endurance or freezing of gait, so those symptoms were not addressed. All participants were recruited in Italy, which may limit generalisability to other healthcare settings. The control group received structured conventional exercises, so the finding is VR versus active home exercise, not VR versus no treatment.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest declared. Funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (IRCCS Network of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, grant RCR-2022-23682290).
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that VR telerehabilitation works for all Parkinson's patients. The study included only mild disability (H&Y 2-3), the control group received structured exercises rather than no treatment, and no follow-up was done to check whether the gains lasted beyond the 6-10 week programme.
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 →