Deans' stroke musings: Combined robot-assisted gait training and virtual reality in stroke rehabilitation: a meta-analysis

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Sunday, May 17, 2026

Combined robot-assisted gait training and virtual reality in stroke rehabilitation: a meta-analysis

It will never occur in your hospital, they can't even afford music therapy, never mind robotics and virtual reality, I wish researchers would live in the real world.

Combined robot-assisted gait training and virtual reality in stroke rehabilitation: a meta-analysis

Hyeonjin Lim [1]

Yeji Jeon [1]

Youngeun Wang [1]

Nayoon Lee [1]

Jeongin Jeong [1]

Eojin Lee [1]

Chanyoung Yun [1]

Donggyun Cho [1]

Wongyo Lee [2]

Hyunjoong Kim* [1,2,3]

Author Affiliations

Open Access

Academia Neuroscience and Brain Research

Volume 2; Issue 1

Abstract

Introduction: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, with approximately 80% of survivors experiencing initial motor dysfunction. While robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) and virtual reality (VR) have emerged as promising interventions, evidence regarding their combined effectiveness remains inconsistent. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the effects of combined RAGT and VR interventions on lower limb function in stroke patients, specifically examining gait distance, gait speed, and balance ability.

Materials and methods: Five international databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) were systematically searched from inception to October 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating combined RAGT and VR interventions. Quality assessment used the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 with random-effects models. Subgroup analyses examined intervention session number and stroke phase.

Results: Seven RCTs involving 299 stroke patients were included. Combined RAGT and VR demonstrated significant improvements in gait distance (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.07–0.75; p = 0.02) and balance ability (SMD = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.37–1.26; p = 0.0004). Gait speed improvement was not statistically significant (SMD = 0.29; 95% CI: −0.23–0.82; p = 0.28). Twelve-session protocols benefited gait distance in acute-phase patients, while 18+-session protocols improved balance in chronic-phase patients.

Conclusions: Combined RAGT and VR interventions effectively enhance gait distance and balance in stroke patients, with effects varying by intervention intensity and recovery stage. Personalized rehabilitation strategies may optimize therapeutic outcomes.