Continuation of balance training for stroke subjects in home environment using virtual reality

摘要

The objective of the telerehabilitation is a continuation of the rehabilitation process on subjects' home and making the therapists and physicians possible to follow the progress remotely. Hereby the pilot project with virtual reality based tasks for dynamic standing frame supported balance training is presented. Six stroke subjects participated in the preliminary study. The subjects performed the therapy five times a week, each time for up to 20 minutes for three weeks. The results were evaluated by objective game parameters as track time, number of collisions and clinical instruments Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up&Go and 10m walk test. The outcomes demonstrated a significant improvement of all parameters. However, the follow up after two weeks demonstrated that functional improvement could be possible on a long term, if the subjects continue with targeted tasks for extended period of time. Besides, the balance training could be continued on subject's home instead of the hospital, which would decrease the number of outpatients' visits and reduce related costs.