Laver KE, George S, Thomas S, Deutsch JE, Crotty M. Virtual reality for stroke rehabilitation. Cochrane Database of
Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD008349. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008349.pub2.
Link to abstract: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008349.pub2/abstract
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of virtual reality (VR) and interactive video gaming on upper limb, lower limb and global motor function after stroke.
Method: The authors searched for randomized trials (RT) and quasi-randomized trials for a population of adults that had had strokes, and that met their definition: “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". 19 trials that involved 565 participants met the criteria. These studies largely do not evaluate commercial gaming consoles such as Wii.
Findings:
Significant results imply limited evidence for the benefits of virtual reality over conventional therapies specifically for arm function (7 studies) and for activities of daily living (3 studies). The properties of VR which are effective and how long the results last are not yet conclusively known.