Clinical Effects of Virtual Avatar Gait Training to Improve Gait, Balance, and Lower Extremity Coordination after Stroke: A Pilot Study

Objective: This study investigated the effects of virtual avatar gait training on improving gait, balance, and lower-extremity coordination in patients with stroke and assessed its potential for efficient recovery of physical function in stroke rehabilitation.Design: One-group pretest posttest design -Methods: : Virtual avatar gait training was conducted in 20 patients with stroke.All participants underwent general physical therapy and virtual avatar gait training for 30 min/d, 3 d/week, for 6 weeks.To determine the effects of training, gait ability was measured using the temporal gait symmetry index, spatial gait symmetry index, 10-m walking test, and 6-minwalking test.Balance ability was measured using the Berg balance scale and four-square step test, and lower-extremity coordination was assessed using the lower-extremity motor coordination test.Results: After virtual avatar gait training, gait ability significantly improved based on the spatial gait symmetry index, 10-mwalking test, and 6-min walking test (p<0.05).Balance ability significantly improved based on the Berg balance scale and four-square step test (p<0.05).Lower-extremity coordination significantly improved based on the lower-extremity motor coordination test (p<0.05).Conclusions: Virtual avatar gait training improved gait, balance, and lower-extremity coordination in patients with stroke, thus providing foundational data and insights for the efficient recovery of physical function.