Comparison of an Eight-week Training Program with and without Virtual Reality on Motor and Cognitive Performance of Women with Multiple Sclerosis

This study compared the effect of training programs with and without virtual reality (VR) on the motor and cognitive performance of women with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

It was a Quasi-experimental study with two experimental groups (17 participants in each group) and a control group (15 participants). Participants have Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and were 20 to 40 years old, and living in Amol City. There were three groups: the experimental group exercised with VR (T+VR), the experimental group exercised without VR (T), and the control group didn't have any exercise intervention. The exercise intervention was carried out for eight weeks (twice a week) including five stages: warming up the body, walking on a treadmill, resting, soccer goalkeeping, and cooling down. The tools used for pre-test and post-test measurement were: Expanded Disability Status Scale Borg Rating of the Perceived Exertion, timed 25-Foot Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go Test, Fatigue Severity Scale, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale Questionnaire, Mini-Mental State Examination test, Tower of London test. Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni pairwise comparison was used for data analysis.

The results showed that the eight-week exercise program with and without VR effectively increased static and dynamic balance and improved the mental state of women with MS (P<0.05), But no significant difference was observed between the two groups in comparison to the control group. Also, the training program with and without VR affected improving walking speed, reducing the intensity of fatigue, stress, anxiety, and depression, and increasing the problem-solving ability of women with multiple sclerosis (P<0.05). This effectiveness in the T+VR group was more than in the T group.

Conclousion: 

Performing sports training with and without VR has a significant effect on the motor and cognitive performance of women with multiple sclerosis, but training with VR can be a motivating and effective alternative for the motor and cognitive rehabilitation of women with multiple sclerosis.