Eligible studies evaluated VRBR that replaced, or was in addition
to, standard rehabilitation to improve gait, balance and/or mobility
in people after stroke. If the total regimen exceeded a single session,
any duration of VRBR was acceptable. The VRBR had to meet the
definition of Schultheis 2001:
an advanced form of human-computer interface that allows the user
to ‘interact’ with and become ‘immersed’ in a computer-generated
environment in a naturalistic fashion.36
The VRBR consisted of either a single type of exercise (eg,
walking while watching videos or moving in a virtually reproduced
setting) with various aims (eg, increasing walking speed, improving
gait and balance) or in a combination of different types of
exercises (eg, weight shifting toward the paretic side, proprioceptive
neuromuscular facilitation, or muscle strengthening). Trials
that compared different types of VRBR without a comparison group
were not included