Virtual Reality–Based Rehabilitation to Restore Motor Function in People With Amputation

Abstract Virtual reality is an emerging technology with accumulating research and clinical evidence in the field of physical rehabilitation. This study aimed to systematically identify and examine the effects of virtual reality on motor function outcomes in patients with amputation to inform clinical decision making on amputation rehabilitation and inform further research endeavors. Five databases were searched, including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, and Scopus. After screening for 1052 records, 10 clinical studies were included in this review: four randomized controlled trials, three pre-post single-arm studies, and three case studies; all studies had fair to good methodological quality. Seven studies were for lower extremity amputation, and three were for upper extremity amputation. Results reveal the positive effects of virtual reality on improving motor function in prosthesis training, including balance, gait, and upper extremity outcomes. Participants also report enjoyment during virtual reality intervention as measured by subjective experience. However, it is unclear whether virtual reality can induce better therapeutic outcomes than conventional rehabilitation, given the limited number of controlled studies and conflicting results reported in the included studies. More properly designed randomized controlled trials with adequately powered sample sizes are warranted to elucidate the benefits of virtual reality–based rehabilitation in the amputation population.