Virtual reality cues for improvement of gait in patients with multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of visual cues, provided through a portable visual-feedback virtual reality (VR) apparatus, on the walking abilities of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
On-line (display-on) and residual short-term therapeutic effects on walking speed and stride length were measured in 16 randomly selected patients with gait disturbances predominantly due to cerebellar ataxia.


RESULTS
Patients whose baseline walking speed (BWS) was below the median showed an average on-line improvement of 13.46% in their walking speed, while patients whose BWS was above the median improved their speed by 1.47%. The average short-term residual therapeutic improvement in walking speed was 24.49% in patients with BWS below the median, and 9.09% in patients with BWS above the median. Similar results were obtained for improvements in stride length. These results of improved functions in patients are particularly noteworthy when compared with the lack of change in healthy control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with multiple sclerosis showed improvement in walking abilities using virtual reality visual-feedback cues.
Baram
Yoram
Y
Department of Computer Science, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. baram@cs.technion.ac.il
Miller
Ariel
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003463:Cues; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000295:instrumentation; D013997:Time Factors; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D016138:Walking