iWalk in VR: Integration of Virtual Reality-based Locomotor Rehabilitation in Clinical Care
The goal of this clinical trial is to: (1) implement and test the feasibility of a new VR-ODT intervention offered as part of usual therapy time of patients with a sub-acute stoke; (2) explore the acceptability of the intervention from the perspective of clinicians and patients and; (3) implement measures to optimize the uptake and sustainability of the intervention within the clinical setting. Participants will engage in a personalized VR-ODT training for 4 weeks (2X 1hr/week) targeting six well-established community walking demands related to (1) walking speed and (2) distance; (3) postural transitions; (4) obstacle avoidance; (5) dual-task walking and; (6) a combination of demands 1-5. For each demand, patients will progress through levels of increasing difficulty according to personalized goals and success criteria.
⁃ Eligible patients with stroke referred by clinicians of the inpatient and outpatient stroke rehabilitation programs at the Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital (CISSS Laval) for mobility problems over a period of 6 months will be recruited. They will:
• be aged between 40 and 74 years;
• have normal/corrected visual and auditory acuity present;
• present a first-ever supratentorial unilateral stroke of 1-24 weeks duration;
• present the ability to walk independently with/without walking aids for at least 1 min at a speed of 0.4-0.9 m/s;
• present intact or mildly affected cognitive function (MoCA scores ≥ 22/30);
• present intact to moderately affected visual- perceptual function (positive scores on a max. of 3/6 tasks on the Behavioural Inattention Test).