This review’s primary aim was to assess immersive VR’s effectiveness on upper-limb function, ADLs, and pain reduction. The secondary purpose was to appraise immersive VR’s side effects and acceptability.
A systematic search was conducted across five databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving stroke patients using immersive VR as an intervention for upper-extremity rehabilitation were included. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, and quality assessment (with Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool) and certainty of evidence evaluation (using the GRADE approach). Data were meta-analysed using fixed or random effect models.
The search was conducted across multiple databases, yielding 3526 search results. Duplicate articles were subsequently removed, resulting in a total of 1532 articles. Out of 1532 initial articles, 10 studies with a total of 324 participants were included. The results show that immersive VR offers greater benefits in comparison with conventional rehabilitation, with significant improvements observed in ADLs (SMD 0.58, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.91, I2 = 0%, p = 0.0005), overall function as measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (MD 6.33, 95% CI 4.15 to 8.50, I2 = 25%, p = 0.00001), and its subscales for the shoulder (MD 4.96, 95% CI—1.90–8.03, I2 = 25%, p = 0.002), wrist (MD 2.41, 95% CI—0.56–4.26, I2 = 0%, p = 0.01), and hand (MD 2.60, 95% CI—0.70–4.50, I2 = 0%, p = 0.007).
Immersive VR is an effective rehabilitation tool for improving upper-extremity function and ADLs in stroke patients. It offers significant advantages over conventional therapy, particularly in enhancing shoulder, wrist, and hand function. While coordination improvements were minimal, immersive VR demonstrates substantial potential in stroke rehabilitation.
The findings of this review highlight the potential for immersive VR to improve upper-extremity stroke rehabilitation by providing an engaging, highly interactive platform that can complement or enhance conventional therapy. Its significant impact on motor function, suggests that immersive VR could be integrated as a core component in post-stroke rehabilitation programs. The improvements in ADLs also indicate broader functional benefits, helping stroke survivors regain independence in everyday tasks. Although side effects like dizziness were minimal, further research is necessary to ensure safety and refine the technology for broader clinical use.
virtual reality
