Accidental Falls, Gait Disorders, Neurologic Injury
Conditions
Keywords
Virtual Reality, Geriatrics, Postural Balance, Pakistan
Brief summary
Falls are common in older adults due to aging-related problems with walking (gait) and balance. Virtual Reality (VR) is a new technology that creates interactive video game-like exercises. This study aims to see if VR training works better than traditional physical therapy exercises for improving walking and balance in adults aged 60 years and older who live in the community. Half of the 36 participants will use a VR headset to play movement games, while the other half will do standard exercises like tandem walking. We will measure their walking speed, step length, and balance before and after 4-6 weeks of training.
Detailed description
This is a single-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial conducted at Madinah Teaching Hospital, Faisalabad. Participants (N=36) are community-dwelling adults aged \>=60 years, ambulatory with or without aids, with no severe cognitive impairment or uncontrolled cardiovascular disease. After baseline assessment (including Image-based modeling using OpenPose software, 6-Meter Walk Test, and Berg Balance Scale), participants are randomly allocated to Group A (VR) or Group B (Control). The VR group uses a head-mounted display (Oculus/Meta type) and a computer screen displaying a 3D world for gait and balance tasks. The control group performs conventional rehabilitation including tandem walking, weight shifts, and postural control exercises on different surfaces. Both interventions are delivered 30-45 minutes per session, 2-3 times per week for 4-6 weeks. The primary outcome is gait (speed and kinematics). The secondary outcome is balance (BBS). Statistical analysis will be performed using IBM SPSS v22.
Interventions
DEVICEVirtual Reality Headset
Immersive VR system (e.g., Meta Quest 2 or similar) running interactive rehabilitation software. Duration: 30-45 minutes. Frequency: 2-3 times per week. Duration of intervention: 4-6 weeks.
OTHERConventional Gait and Balance Training
Standard physiotherapy protocol including tandem stance, single-leg stance, sit-to-stand, walking over obstacles, and multidirectional weight shifts. Duration: 30-45 minutes. Frequency: 2-3 times per week. Duration: 4-6 weeks.
Sponsors
University of Faisalabad
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Community dwelling adults aged \>= 60 years. * Able to follow instructions. * Able to walk with or without an assistive device. * Vital signs stable. * No severe cognitive impairment.
Exclusion criteria
* Severe visual or vestibular disorders. * Uncontrolled cardiovascular disease. * Severe musculoskeletal impairments. * Recent major surgery or spinal surgery.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Gait Speed | Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6) | Gait speed will be measured using the 6-Meter Walk Test (seconds to walk 6 meters) and Image-Based Modeling (OpenPose software analysis of stride length and cadence from iPhone 12 Pro Max video recordings). |
| Change in Balance | Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6) | Balance will be measured using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), a 14-item scale scoring from 0 to 56. Higher scores indicate better balance. |
Countries
Pakistan
Outcome results
None listed