A randomized control trial to review the effectiveness of Virtual Reality and Task-Specific Training in improving Lower Limb Motor Recovery in post Stroke Patients

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of Virtual Reality and Task-Specific Training (TST) in improving motor control of lower limb in stroke patients. Study design: It was a Randomized Control Trial Study. Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at The Physiotherapy Clinic, RWP for 6 months from 1st September 2024 to 28th February 2025. Material and Methods: Participants were divided into two groups: one group received VR-based task-specific training (VR+TST, n=30), while the other group underwent standard task-oriented physiotherapy (n=30). The VR+TST group engaged in 45-minute sessions, three times a week for six weeks, using VR to practice specific tasks. The control group performed traditional task-oriented exercises. Both groups were assessed before and after the intervention using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and the Lower Limb Fugl-Meyer Assessment (LL-FMA). Results: The VR+TST group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in motor control compared to the task-oriented training group. On average, the LL-FMA scores increased by 12.4 points (p < 0.001), the time taken to complete the TUG test decreased by 15 seconds (p < 0.01), and the distance covered in the 6MWT improved by 40 meters (p = 0.002). The standard deviations for these outcomes were 3.1, 3.3, and 7.5, respectively.