Virtual reality exercise for balance and fall risk in Parkinson's disease
Compares virtual reality therapy with usual physiotherapy in people with Parkinson's disease.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Parkinson's Disease: Effects on Balance, Fall Risk, and Exercise Capacity.
Key facts
- Where
- Valencia, SpainSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 55 and 75 years old?
Source: NCT07251231, who can take part
Where in Spain
- Faculty of Physiotherapy. University of ValenciaValencia, SpainNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University of Valencia
- Trial code
- NCT07251231
- Record updated
- 28 April 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether immersive virtual reality (VR)-based physiotherapy is effective in improving balance, reducing fall risk, and enhancing cardiorespiratory exercise capacity in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The main questions it aims to answer are:Read full original descriptionShow less
Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Parkinson's Disease: Impact on Balance, Fall Risk, and Cardiorespiratory Exercise Capacity.
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether immersive virtual reality (VR)-based physiotherapy is effective in improving balance, reducing fall risk, and enhancing cardiorespiratory exercise capacity in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does immersive VR therapy improve postural balance more effectively than conventional physiotherapy?
Does immersive VR reduce fall risk and increase cardiorespiratory fitness compared with standard physiotherapy?
Researchers will compare an immersive VR intervention with conventional physiotherapy to determine whether VR can produce superior functional and physiological outcomes in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Participants will:
Be randomly assigned (1:1) to an experimental group (immersive VR therapy) or a control group (conventional physiotherapy).
Take part in structured physiotherapy sessions focused on balance, mobility, and functional capacity.
Undergo pre- and post-intervention assessments of balance, fall risk, cardiorespiratory exercise capacity, and quality of life.
This randomized controlled trial (RCT) with parallel assignment will include 50 participants (25 per group). Randomization will be performed using the OxMaR (Oxford Minimization and Randomization) software, which enables adaptive randomization to ensure balanced baseline characteristics between groups.
Secondary objectives include evaluating the impact of immersive VR on health-related quality of life and comparing treatment adherence between VR-based and conventional physiotherapy interventions.
Inclusion: Age between 55 and 75 years; Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease confirmed by a neurologist; Mild to moderate disease stage (Hoehn and Yahr I-III); Ability to understand and follow simple instructions and actively participate in the intervention; Signed informed consent provided before participation.
Exclusion: Adverse effects related to the intervention, including severe dizziness, persistent nausea, disorientation, or headaches that prevent continuation of therapy; Severe cognitive impairment, defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score < 21; Visual or vestibular disorders that would compromise safe use of virtual reality equipment; Serious medical complications during the study (e.g., acute cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction or stroke) that may endanger the participant or interfere with treatment; Surgical or medical procedures unrelated to Parkinson's disease that affect general mobility or the ability to participate in the intervention; Severe musculoskeletal comorbidities that limit mobility or prevent participation in physiotherapy sessions; Lack of adherence to the protocol, defined as missing four or more intervention sessions without justification; Significant worsening of neurological status or new complications that contraindicate participation in physiotherapy.