title: [Virtual reality for therapeutic purposes in stroke: A systematic review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Virtual reality (VR) is used in the field of rehabilitation/physical therapy to improve patients' functional abilities. The last 5 years have yielded numerous publications on the use of VR in patients with neurological disease which aim to establish whether this therapeutic resource contributes to the recovery of motor function.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following databases were reviewed: Cochrane Original, Joanna Briggs Connect, Medline/Pubmed, Cinahl, Scopus, Isi Web of Science, and Sport-Discus. We included articles published in the last 5 years in English and/or Spanish, focusing on using RV to improve motor function in patients with stroke. From this pool, we selected 4 systematic reviews and 21 controlled and/or randomised trials. Most studies focused on increasing motor function in the upper limbs, and/or improving performance of activities of daily living. An additional article examines use of the same technique to increase motor function in the lower limb and/or improve walking and static-dynamic balance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strong scientific evidence supports the beneficial effects of VR on upper limb motor recovery in stroke patients. Further studies are needed to fully determine which changes are generated in cortical reorganisation, what type of VR system is the most appropriate, whether benefits are maintained in the long term, and which frequencies and intensities of treatment are the most suitable.
authors: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña, España. Electronic address: suvidiz@udc.es.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Viñas-Diz
authors: Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, Departamento de Enfermería. Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña, España.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sobrido-Prieto
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020127:Recovery of Function; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Ictus; Realidad virtual; Rehabilitación; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Virtual reality