Virtual-reality walking therapy for people recovering from stroke
iWalk in VR: Integration of Virtual Reality-based Locomotor Rehabilitation in Clinical Care
This program will try virtual-reality walking training with people recovering from a recent stroke to improve walking speed, distance, balance, obstacle negotiation, and multitask walking.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Ages | 40 Years to 84 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | McGill University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Laval, Quebec) |
| Trial ID | NCT07201974 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Participants will complete a personalized 4-week program (2 sessions per week, 1 hour each) using an HTC Vive headset and an omnidirectional treadmill (Infinadeck) set in a virtual Montreal shopping mall and nearby streets. Training targets six community-walking demands (speed, distance, postural transitions, obstacle avoidance, dual-task walking, and combined demands) with progressive difficulty based on individual goals. The project will measure feasibility (referrals, adherence, adverse events), perceived workload, sense of presence, and cybersickness, and will assess acceptability using a Technology Acceptance Model questionnaire and open-ended feedback. Two clinician-champions (an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist) will be trained to support implementation and optimize uptake in routine clinical care.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 40–74 with a first-ever supratentorial unilateral stroke 1–24 weeks prior, normal/corrected vision and hearing, MoCA ≥22, able to walk independently for at least 1 minute at 0.4–0.9 m/s, and receiving care at the Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital programs.
Not a fit: Patients with comorbidities that interfere with walking or visual perception, significant cognitive or visual-perceptual deficits, walking speeds outside the specified range, or without medical clearance are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed recovery of practical community walking skills and help patients regain independence in everyday settings.
How similar studies have performed: Previous virtual-reality gait-training studies have shown promising improvements in post-stroke walking, but using an omnidirectional treadmill integrated into routine clinical care is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion 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). Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects with comorbidities interfering with walking * Subjects with comorbidities interfering with visual perception * Subjects without medical clearance for exercise
Where this trial is running
Laval, Quebec
- Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital — Laval, Quebec, Canada (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Anouk Lamontagne, PhD — McGill University
- Study coordinator: Anouk Lamontagne, PhD
- Email: anouk.lamontagne@mcgill.ca
- Phone: 450-688-9550
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.