Effects of Virtual Reality on Dual Task Performance

The Investigation of the Effects of Virtual Reality Training on Dual Task Performance, Balance and Gait on Patients With Chronic Stroke

This study evaluates the effects of virtual reality treatment in addition to robotic gait therapy on dual task performance, balance and gait in chronic stroke patients. Half of participants will attend virtual reality treatment in addition to robotic gait therapy for 12 sessions, while the other half will attend only robotic gait therapy for 12 sessions.

Following stroke, motor disorders, balance disorders, falls, gait disturbances and cognitive disorders are frequently seen. In stroke rehabilitation, with the use of robots and virtual reality systems with conventional methods, it is aimed to increase patient's motivation, to check if exercise is effective, to provide objective evaluation data and to support the motor learning process and the use of these methods in the field of neurological rehabilitation is increasing.

Multi-task evaluations can be made with the virtual environments created by virtual reality applications and complex tasks.

The traditional approach to stroke rehabilitation is mainly focused on balance and gait training under single task conditions. In everyday life, people should not only have balance and mobility skills, but also have the ability to perform other cognitive and motor tasks with these skills. Therefore, traditional approaches are not sufficient for the individual to return to society after a stroke.

In this respect, this study was planned in order to examine the effects of frequently used virtual reality treatment in addition to robotic gait therapy on the dual task, balance and gait performance.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Volunteer to participate in the research
• Stroke for the first time
• To be able to walk independently before the disease
• To score 3 or above in the functional ambulation classification
• 6 months after stroke diagnosis
• Not having open wounds
• Severity of spasticity of the lower extremities to be 3 and below according to the Modified Asworth Scale
• To score 24 or more in the Mini Mental State Examination

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute internal problems, additional neurological diseases, or orthopedic problems that might limit walking
• To have received botulinum toxin treatment during 6 months before treatment or during treatment
• To have stroke on both sides
• To have neglect