Al Sultan H1, Abbas R2, Cooreman D1, Saab I2, El Khatib A2
1International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Physical Rehabilitation Program, Beirut, Lebanon, 2Beirut Arab University, Physiotherapy Department, Beirut, Lebanon
Background: Lower limb amputations are frequent consequences of war wounds and traumatic accidents. For an effective prosthetic rehabilitation, Physiotherapy (PT) interventions are essential. Balance training and weight bearing exercises are usually part of the treatment plan to reduce the risk of falling.
Recently, virtual reality (VR) training is being increasingly used in neurorehabilitation, since its effects in improving balance and walking abilities in patients with stroke have by now been acknowledged. However, the use of VR-based training is less documented in rehabilitation of lower limb amputations.
Purpose: The project is a part of a research study (with ongoing data collection) to assess the effects of adding VR training (by using Kinapsys System) to the traditional prosthetic post fitting (TPF) training on balance outcomes for traumatic lower limb amputees in three participating centers in Lebanon (ICRC partners).
Methods: In a single blinded randomized control trial, 3 months after being fitted with their prosthesis, unilateral lower limb amputee will assign to the whole period of intervention either to an experimental group (VR with TPF) or to a control group (TPF) (3 sessions per week for 6 weeks). The VR training focused on specific tasks related to lower limb exercises in standing position with the prosthesis such as football, obstacles, multidirectional movement, avoidance exercise with movement, and tennis - overall coordination of the upper limb and returning to resting stance. Blinded assessors tested patients' balance and dynamic outcome before and after the intervention by using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Activities specific balance confidence (ABC) scale.
Between April 2017 and June 2018, 22 were committed to the whole period of intervention. In total, 12 patients were allocated to VR with TPF and 10 to TPF.
Results: The preliminary results showed improvement in some outcome measures according to the descriptive analysis of the available results (The recruitment of participants is still open till end of November 2018 to allow more data collection). Inferential statistical analysis will be done by January 2019 to detect statistical significance of the collected data.
Conclusion(s): It could be concluded that adding VR training to the traditional post fitting rehabilitation is a promising area of intervention, also considering the very positive acceptance displayed by patients so far.
Implications: This study adds to the limited existing knowledge on the use of VR during the traditional post fitting training addressing balance (especially for lower limb amputees that are traumatic victims).
Keywords: Virtual Reality training, Lower limb Amputation, Balance
Funding acknowledgements: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Recently, virtual reality (VR) training is being increasingly used in neurorehabilitation, since its effects in improving balance and walking abilities in patients with stroke have by now been acknowledged. However, the use of VR-based training is less documented in rehabilitation of lower limb amputations.
Purpose: The project is a part of a research study (with ongoing data collection) to assess the effects of adding VR training (by using Kinapsys System) to the traditional prosthetic post fitting (TPF) training on balance outcomes for traumatic lower limb amputees in three participating centers in Lebanon (ICRC partners).
Methods: In a single blinded randomized control trial, 3 months after being fitted with their prosthesis, unilateral lower limb amputee will assign to the whole period of intervention either to an experimental group (VR with TPF) or to a control group (TPF) (3 sessions per week for 6 weeks). The VR training focused on specific tasks related to lower limb exercises in standing position with the prosthesis such as football, obstacles, multidirectional movement, avoidance exercise with movement, and tennis - overall coordination of the upper limb and returning to resting stance. Blinded assessors tested patients' balance and dynamic outcome before and after the intervention by using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Activities specific balance confidence (ABC) scale.
Between April 2017 and June 2018, 22 were committed to the whole period of intervention. In total, 12 patients were allocated to VR with TPF and 10 to TPF.
Results: The preliminary results showed improvement in some outcome measures according to the descriptive analysis of the available results (The recruitment of participants is still open till end of November 2018 to allow more data collection). Inferential statistical analysis will be done by January 2019 to detect statistical significance of the collected data.
Conclusion(s): It could be concluded that adding VR training to the traditional post fitting rehabilitation is a promising area of intervention, also considering the very positive acceptance displayed by patients so far.
Implications: This study adds to the limited existing knowledge on the use of VR during the traditional post fitting training addressing balance (especially for lower limb amputees that are traumatic victims).
Keywords: Virtual Reality training, Lower limb Amputation, Balance
Funding acknowledgements: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Topic: Disability & rehabilitation; Musculoskeletal: lower limb
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Beirut Arab University in Lebanon
Ethics committee: Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Ethics number: 2017H-0032-HS-R-0239
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
