Objective: Investigate and compare the effects of virtual-reality-gaming(VRG) and activity-based gait and balance training (AGBT) on gait and balance parameters (cadence(CD), stride length (SDL), step length (SL), gait velocity (GV) and balance (BS)) and quality of life in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Background: Parkinson’s disease poses significant health burden worldwide owing to increase in global aging population and chronic illnesses. Mobility and balance limitations are some of the most significant effects of Parkinson’s Disease. Virtual reality gaming is emerging as an effective tool in rehabilitation especially in the Caucasian population. There is however dearth of studies investigating effect of virtual reality gaming on gait, balance and quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease in sub-Sahara Africa.

Methods: Forty-three consenting patients with PD from the outpatient clinics of Neurology and Physiotherapy departments of the Obafemi Awolowo Unversity Teaching Hospitals Complex, Nigeria participated in this pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. Participants were randomly assigned to (Virtual reality gaming) VRG (n=21) and (Activity-based gait and balance training) AGBT (n=22) groups. VRG had 8weeks of Virtual Reality Gaming which included Kinect Adventure Games: river rush, bubble game and tight rope tension game. AGBT had 8weeks of conventional activity based training which included Treadmill training and balance board training. These interventions were carried out for both groups twice weekly for 8weeks. BS, SL, SDL, GV and CD assessed using the BTS Gait device and QoL using PDQ-39 at 4th week and 8th week. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at p<0.05.

Results: Both groups were comparable in physical and clincal characteristics. VRG had improvements in their physical functioning and QoL across the 3-points of the study. AGBT had improvements in physical functioning and QoL across the 3-points of the study. The two groups were comparable in BS, right SL, CD and the QoL at 4th week. However, AGBT had significantly higher left SL, SDL and GV. The two groups at 8th week showed they were comparable in BS, right SL, left SL, SDL, CD and the QoL. However, AGBT had significantly higher GV.

Conclusions: This study concluded that VRG and AGBT were capable of significantly improving physical functioning (balance, step length, stride length, cadence, gait velocity) and QoL of patients with PD. AGBT led to higher improvements in the stride length and gait velocity.

References: Dotchin CL, Msuya O and Walker RW (2007). The challenge of Parkinson’s disease management in Africa (2007). Age Ageing, 36:122-7. Dockx K, Bekkers EM, Van der Bergh V, Ginis P, Rochester L and Hausdorff JM (2016). Virtual Reality for Rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease. Cochrane database systematic review.

« Back to 2018 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/comparison-of-virtual-reality-gaming-and-activity-based-gait-and-balance-training-on-gait-balance-and-quality-of-life-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease/