The Effects of Lokomat Virtual Reality Applications on Balance and Gait in Stroke Patients
Condition: Stroke
MeSH terms: Stroke
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The effectiveness of applying robot-assisted walking training together with conventional
      physiotherapy is widely accepted. Virtual reality is another component and its contribution
      to rehabilitation is important. When we look at the literature on virtual reality
      applications on balance and walking, it is seen that some systems are beneficial while some
      systems have no effect. This raises the possibility that virtual reality applications may
      produce different results due to the task in the exercise, patient motivation or any other
      reason. There is a need to investigate whether virtual reality applications have different
      effects, if any, what is the source of this and what care should be taken in the development
      of these applications in the future. Therefore, we focused on investigating the different
      effects of Lokomat virtual reality applications.
    

Detailed description: 
      Stroke is an important health problem worldwide. Emotional, cognitive, sensory and motor
      problems occur with stroke. Motor problems are especially balance and walking problems and
      they are related to each other. So balance and gait rehabilitation are primary goals in
      stroke.

      Although the first study to support the efficacy of Lokomat is that Lokomat is superior to
      conventional physiotherapy in walking, there are also studies reporting that there is no
      difference between the effects of Lokomat and conventional physiotherapy and that
      conventional physiotherapy is superior. In the light of all these studies, the effectiveness
      of applying robotic systems together with conventional physiotherapy is widely accepted.

      Robot Assisted Walking Training has many components such as guiding force, walking speed,
      body weight support. Virtual reality is one of these components and there is literature in
      which Lokomat virtual reality applications are effective on balance and walking. Although the
      virtual reality effect is emphasized for Lokomat, there is a lack of literature on the
      specific effect of different virtual reality applications. In our study, it was aimed to
      examine the changes caused by different Lokomat virtual reality applications in the
      spatiotemporal parameters of balance and gait.

      Method: This study was conducted to examine the effects of Lokomat VR applications on balance
      and spatiotemporal parameters of gait in patients with chronic stroke; It is a prospective,
      randomized controlled, single-blind study. The study will be carried out in a single-blind
      manner, and the evaluator will not know which group the individual is in. 56 individuals with
      chronic stroke included our study. All individuals have been informed about the study and
      read and signed the consent form stating that they voluntarily participated in the study. For
      balance evaluation we used Berg Balance Scale and Huber 360 device, which measures postural
      stability and limits of stability. And for gait evaluation we used 10 MWT, 6 MWT and
      spatiotemporal gait analysis for C-Mill VR+.
    

Intervention name(s): Robot Asisted Gait Training with Lokomat (Endurance); Robot Asisted Gait Training with Lokomat (Attention and Motivation); Robot Asisted Gait Training with Lokomat (Activity Timing); Conventional Physiotherapy
Intervention type(s): Other; Other; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Faster application (using for Endurance) : 3 days in a week for 6 weeks,very season was 40 min.
Conventional Physiotherapy : 5 days in a week for 6 weeks, every seanson was 40 min.; Smile application (using for Attetion and Motivation) : 3 days in a week for 6 weeks,very season was 20 min.
Gabarello application (using for Attetion and Motivation) : 3 days in a week for 6 weeks,very season was 20 min.
Conventional Physiotherapy : 5 days in a week for 6 weeks, every seanson was 40 min.; High Flyer application (using for Activity Timing) : 3 days in a week for 6 weeks,very season was 20 min.
Treasures application (using for Activity Timing) : 3 days in a week for 6 weeks,very season was 10 min.
Curve Pursuit application (using for Activity Timing) : 3 days in a week for 6 weeks,very season was 10 min.
Conventional Physiotherapy : 5 days in a week for 6 weeks, every seanson was 40 min.; -Conventional Physiotherapy : 5 days in a week for 6 weeks, every seanson was 40 min.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Individuals have been assigned to groups by Research Randomizer program.
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Augmented performance feedback; Lokomat; Stroke; Rehabilitation; Virtual Reality