Virtual rehabilitation is better than conventional physical therapy to improve the functionality of the gait in elderly people? Systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim To compare the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test variables and walking speed between elderly people that carried through the training using virtual reality, sedentary (control), and those submitted to the Conventional physical therapy (exercise therapy). Systematic revision with meta-analysis of clinical essays. Methods: The recommendations of The PRISMA STATEMENT were used; having been consulted the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Exerpta Medica DataBASE Guide (IT BASES), Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). Participants: Healthy Elderly People. Intervention: Virtual reality or Conventional physical therapy. Group control: physical inactivity. Measures of result: TUG test and walking speed. Results: 11282 generated articles of the initial search, 16 articles had entered for the meta-analysis, including 711 participants. The meta-analysis resulted the four following comparisons: [1] Virtual Reality versus Control (TUG), not significant (the IC 95% (-4,29 to 0,66) I2 = 94%) and [2] Virtual Reality versus Control (walking speed), not significant (IC 95% (-0,14 to 0,56) I2 = 98%); [3] Virtual Reality versus Conventional physical therapy (TUG), significant, in favor of Conventional physical therapy (IC 95% (-1,02 a -0,06) I2 = 20%) and [4] Virtual Reality versus Conventional physical therapy (walking speed), significant in favors of Virtual Reality (IC 95% (0,06 a 0,17) I2 = 0%).Conclusion: This demonstrates that the investigated subject needs more studies with a better methodological research design to develop more results in the literature. Register Review: PROSPERO (CRD42021247922).