IMPACT OF VIRTUAL BASED REHABILITATION ON FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY IN STROKE SURVIVOR: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

ARTICL HISTORY- Date of Submission: Feb 23, 2025, Revision: Mar 18, 2025, Acceptance: April 20, 2025; DOI:https://doi.org/10.56815/ijmsci.v5i1.2025.34-40

Abstract

Stroke remains a major global cause of both death and disability, sometimes with significant impact on lives of persons who survive, and typically presents with physical, cognitive challenges. In general, rehabilitation of stroke patients has primarily been aimed at recovering motor functions in order to improve physical functioning. Nevertheless, a new alternative has popped up: virtual reality based rehabilitation (VRBR). One of whom makes an interesting distinction between VRBR’s ability to engage users in a fun but also functionally beneficial way, especially with regard to motor skills, but also cognitive functioning. The benefits of VRBR on the physical and cognitive recovery of stroke patients are more comprehensive and inclusive when compared to its current conventional practice, and it is ideal for providing not only a faster recovery but also for the recovery of stroke patients.A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 2010 to 2022, which examine the effects of VRBR on the functional recovery of stroke patients. Specifically, it explores how VRBR affects motor skills as well as cognitive functions, which are common deficits after a stroke. It is the review that goes to evaluate the effectiveness of VRBR as an innovative therapeutic option and comparing it with conventional methods. The results that are analyzed in this review of RCTs may help provide insight into the effect that VRBR has in improving overall recovery of stroke patients. The paper emphasizes the expanding application of VRBR to improve both physical and cognitive issues stroke survivors endure and the potential opportunity of it to be the light at the end of the tunnel for survivors in traditional therapy.