Table 2 Characteristics of literature selected

Chang-Man An [9]

Yes

Korea

Prospective;

cohort studies

10

6

4

44.20 ± 8.66

C(4);

D(6);

C: 8

T: 2

19.20 ± 3.93(m)

Semi-immersive VR(IREX; Gesture Tek; Toronto, Canada)

/No

30 min a day, 3 days a week for 6 weeks

Standing balance;

Upright mobility function

LOS; BBS; TUG; WISCI II; ABC.

Da Young Lim [24]

Yes

Korea

Prospective;

RCT

CG:10

IG:10

All:20

CG :8

IG:6

CG :2

IG:4

CG:61.50 ± 12.44

IG:59.00 ± 11.58

CG: C(1),D(9)

IG: D(10)

CG: C(10)

IG: C(10)

CG:36.50 ± 15.00(d)

IG:27.90 ± 8.70(d)

CG: OT + ADL

IG: OT + immersive VR (HTC VIVE VR RehabWare)

/No

CG:30 min of OT + 30 min

of ADL a day,4 days a week for 4 weeks

IG:30 min of OT + 30 min

of VR a day,4 days a week for 4 weeks

Arm and hand muscle strengths;

Hand function; Independence in ADL

ASIA-UEMS; BBT; Korean version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure; scores in the Hand Strength Test, Nine-Hole Peg Test, Action Research Arm Test.

I.Dimbwadyo-Terrer [25]

Yes

Spain

Prospective;

RCT

CG :15

IG:16

All:31

CG :12

IG:10

CG :3

IG:6

CG :40.27 ± 13.61

IG:34.53 ± 13.71

CG: A(10),B(5)

IG: A(11),B(5)

CG: C(15)

IG: C(16)

CG:5.60 ± 2.50(m)

IG:4.31 ± 2.06(m)

CG: CT

IG: CT + immersive VR( Toyra)

/No

CG: 1 h and 30 min per day, 5 days per week for 5 weeks

IG: 30 min of VR a day, 3 days a week for 5 weeks

in addition to conventional training

Motor indexes;

Functional examination

Self-Care components of SCIM III; manual muscle test; The Functional Independence Measure; The Barthel Index; the UL part of Motricity Index.

Lynsey D Duffell [26]

Yes

United Kingdom

Prospective;

cohort studies

11

10

1

56.54 ± 17.6

C(8);D(3)

C(3);T(7)

87.55 ± 172.31 (m)

immersive VR

/Yes

1 h of VR a day, 3 days a week for 4 weeks

motor function

SCIM; WISCI; 10MWT; International Standards for Neurological Classification of spinal cord injury; Oxford scale motor power Grading; Modified Ashworth Score.

Meetika Khurana [27]

Yes

India

Prospective;

RCT

CG:15

IG:15

All:30

CG:14

IG:14

CG:1

IG:1

CG:29.47 ± 7.48

IG:29.80 ± 7.32

NA

CG: T(15)

IG: T(15)

CG:3.00 ± 0.66(m)

IG:2.67 ± 0.72(m)

CG: PT + real-world task-specific balance training

IG: PT + immersive VR(Sony PlayStation 2 and EyeToy)

/No

45 min a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks

Balance;

functional performance

Self-Care components of SCIM-III; Modified Functional Reach Test; t-shirt test.

Michael Villiger [10]

Yes

Switzerland

Prospective;

cohort studies

14

9

5

52.71 ± 14.85

C(2)

D(12)

C(7);

T(7)

5.5 ± 4.93(y)

Semi-immersive VR

/No

4 weeks in 16 to 20 sessions of 45 min

lower limb function;

pain

BBS; SCIM mobility; LEMS; 10MWT; NPRS.

Michael Villiger [28]

Yes

Switzerland

Prospective;

cohort studies

12

NA

NA

NA

C(2)

D(10)

C(6);

T(5);

L(1)

7.67 ± 4.78(y)

Semi-immersive VR

/No

a period

of 4 weeks, with 16–20 sessions of 30–45 min each

Balance;

Muscle strength;

Functional obility

LEMS; BBS; TUG; 10MWT; WISCI II; SCIM mobility

Min-Jae Lee [29]

Yes

Korea

Prospective;

RCT

CG:10

IG:10

All:20

CG:9

IG: 4

CG:1

IG:6

CG:55.1 ± 10.41

IG: 53.7 ± 6.55

CG: C(7),D(3)

IG: C(6),D(4)

CG: T(10),L(5)

IG: T(11),L(4)

CG:16.5 ± 4.66(m)

IG:17.4 ± 5.12(m)

immersive VR

/No

CG:30 min OT + 30 min general rehabilitation a day, 5 days per week for 8 weeks

IG: five 30 min OT + 30 min VR a day ,5 days per week for 8 weeks

Balance

LOS; force sensitive application.

Somya Prasad [30]

Yes

India

Prospective;

RCT

CG:10

IG:12

All:22

CG:0

IG: 1

NA

CG:33.9 ± 7.1

IG: 23.7 ± 5.2

CG: A(4),B(3),C(2),D(1)

IG: A(1),B(6),C(2),D(3)

CG: C(10)

IG: C(12)

CG: 10.2 ± 5.7(m)

IG: 10.2 ± 5.7 (m)

Semi-immersive VR (Nintendo Wii)

/Yes

CG:30 min conventional therapy, 3 days a week for 4 weeks

IG:30 min conventional therapy + 30 min VR(using Nintendo Wii),

3 days a week for 4 weeks

Upper limb function

BBT; The Spinal Cord Independence Measure–Self Report; Capabilities of Upper Extremity questionnaire; the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF.

Aarón Manzanares [31]

No

Spain

Prospective;

RCT

11

7

4

42.36 ± 12.9

-

Lower than T1

-

Semi-immersive VR (Nature Trek^®)

/Yes

CG: 30–40 min per day, three times per week for six weeks

IG: regular rehabilitation

practice

quality of life

SCIM-III; Spinal cord injury quality of life questionnaire; Modified functional reach test.

Madhusree Sengupta [32]

No

India

Prospective Comparative Pre-Post Study

21

17

4

28 ± 12.1

A(6),B(5),C(5),D(5)

-

< 6 (m)

CG: conventional exercise therapy

IG: conventional exercise therapy + semi-immersive VR

/No

CG: conventional exercise therapy

IG: 30 min semi-immersive VR therapy, 5 days a week for 3 weeks

Balance

BBS; balance section of the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment; Functional Reach Score.

Michael Villiger [33]

No

Switzerland

a longitudinal pilot study

9

5

4

55.1 ± 15.8

-

-

-

semi-immersive VR

/Yes

45 min semi-immersive VR therapy, 4–5 days a week for 4 weeks

Upper limb function

LEMS; BBS; WISCI II.

N Hasnan [34]

No

Australia

a longitudinal, prospective before–after trial.

8

-

-

-

-

-

-

semi-immersive VR

/Yes

60 min semi-immersive VR therapy, 3 days a week for 4 weeks

Motor function

Arm + leg peak power.

Meyke Roosink [35]

No

Canada

a longitudinal, prospective before–after trial.

9

7

2

53 ± 13

-

Lower than C4

> 3 (m)

immersive VR

/NO

The experiment consisted of two sessions (1.5 h each, at least 1 week apart to avoid carry-over effects) of interactive virtual walking.

Pain /emotion/motor

LEMS; BBS; TUG; SCIM; WISCI II; and 10MWT and 6 min walking tests.

Rosanne B van Dijsseldonk [36]

No

Netherlands

a longitudinal, prospective before–after trial.

15

11

4

59 ± 12

-

-

> 6 (m)

immersive VR

/NO

12 1-h training sessions spread over a 6-week period.

Balance

the 2 min walking test.

Tracy Wall [37]

No

America

a longitudinal, prospective before–after trial.

5

5

0

58.6

-

-

> 12 (m)

semi-immersive VR

/Yes

60 min semi-immersive VR therapy, 2 days a week for 7 weeks

Motor function

TUG; forward functional reach test and lateral functional reach test; RAND 36-Item Short Form Health Survey.