Abstract
Study design
Participant-blinded comparative pre-post randomized controlled trial.
Objective
To evaluate the effects of virtual soccer game on balance, gait function, and kick speed in individuals with spinal cord injuries.
Setting
Forty participants with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) were included.
Methods
The participants were randomized into either an experimental group (EG) or a control group for treatment 3 days/week over 4 weeks. The clinical outcomes included the results of the chair stand test (CST), timed up-and-go (TUG) test, and 10 m walking test (10MWT). The virtual reality (VR) content outcome measure was kick speed.
Results
The independent t-test results indicated that the participants in the EG exhibited superior performances in the CST, TUG test, 10MWT, and kick speed test (all P < 0.05).
Conclusions
Our results provide novel, promising clinical evidence that VR rehabilitation improves both dynamic and static balance and reduces the risk of falls in patients with incomplete SCI of Asia impairment scale grades C–D.
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Data availability
The datasets generated and/or analyzed in the present study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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CP and YA were involved in the study design; performed the analysis; and wrote and revised the paper. YA performed the experiments and collected and analyzed data. All authors read and approved the final paper.
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An, Y., Park, C. The effects of virtual soccer game on balance, gait function, and kick speed in chronic incomplete spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial. Spinal Cord 60, 504–509 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-021-00745-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-021-00745-y
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