Is virtual reality training superior to conventional treatment in improving lower extremity motor function in chronic hemiplegic patients?

This study aims to examine the effect of virtual reality (VR) training, frequently included in rehabilitation programs, on lower extremity functional status, mobility, balance, and walking speed in chronic stroke patients. This randomized, controlled study was conducted with 60 chronic stroke patients (26 males, 34 females; mean age: 64.0 years; range, 33 to 80 years) who presented to the physical therapy and rehabilitation outpatient clinic of the Kütahya Health Sciences University Evliya Çelebi Training and Research Hospital between February 2019 and February 2020. The participants were randomized to the VR group and the control group by simple randomization with 1:1 allocation. The VR group received 30 min of VR training and 30 min of conventional physiotherapy, while the control group received 60 min of conventional physiotherapy. The patients were evaluated before and after treatment using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremity (FMA-LE), Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI), 10-m walk test (10MWT), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The FMA-LE, RMI, 10MWT, and BBS scores significantly improved in both groups after treatment (p