The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation of Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Recent advancements in Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) particularly within athletic training have innovatively redefined rehabilitation strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VR in athlete rehabilitation was undertaken. Methods: This review considered inclusion of peer-reviewed studies published up to October 2023. The criteria for their inclusion were that these studies compared VR-based rehabilitation methods with traditional techniques among athletic populations. We extracted data on several factors: physical function indices, kinematic waveforms, ground reaction force (GRF), knee moments and joint angles. The study employed a random-effects (RE) model to accommodate between-study variability; subsequently, it calculated mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for meta-analytic comparison. Results: Incorporating findings from four studies, the review reported enhanced physical function indices in VR-based rehabilitation groups; these groups exhibited improved strength recovery-though not necessarily at an optimal speed. Researchers observed increases in ground reaction forces (GRF) and knee moments among athletes who had undergone ACL rehabilitation when they employed virtual reality (VR). The studies highlighted substantial heterogeneity-implying that the impact of VR on rehabilitation outcomes varies significantly. Conclusion: The marked heterogeneity among these studies suggests that various factors may influence the effectiveness of VR in rehabilitation - thus necessitating additional research for comprehensive understanding its role. Nonetheless - given its potential value as an adjunctive aid for athletic rehab - further scrutiny is indeed warranted regarding VR's applicability here.