Overview of systematic reviews: immersive virtual reality for upper limb stroke rehabilitation

Objective Upper limb impairment following stroke impairs independence, quality of life, and participation. Immersive virtual reality is an emerging intervention for upper limb rehabilitation, offering task-specific, and engaging therapeutic environments. This overview of systematic reviews examines the reported effectiveness and safety of immersive virtual reality interventions for upper limb rehabilitation following stroke.Data Sources PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and AMED were systematically searched for English language systematic reviews published between January 2014 and June 2024.Methods Systematic reviews examining immersive virtual reality for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke were included. Records were independently screened, data were extracted, and methodological quality (AMSTAR 2) and primary study overlap (GROOVE) were assessed. Findings were synthesised narratively.Results Nine systematic reviews were included, comprising 29 randomised controlled trials. Four reviews were rated high quality, three low quality, and two critically low quality. Moderate overlap of primary studies was identified. Immersive virtual reality was associated with improvements in upper limb function and adverse events were mild and infrequent.Conclusion The evidence supports immersive virtual reality as a safe and effective intervention for upper limb rehabilitation post-stroke. However, heterogeneity across systematic reviews and inconsistent reporting limit the strength of conclusions and hinder translation into clinical practice.