Intervenciones basadas en realidad virtual para el manejo de paciente amputado. Revisión sistemática

Introduction Approximately 90% of individuals with limb amputation experience phantom limb pain, reduced strength, and decreased functionality, significantly impacting their quality of life. Virtual reality-based rehabilitation offers a safe and dynamic environment for therapeutic intervention. Objective To investigate the use and effects of virtual reality as an intervention for reducing phantom limb pain, and improving strength and functionality in patients with limb amputation. Methods A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were: (1) adult amputee population (2) experimental studies and observational, and (3) studies specifying the use of virtual reality and reporting at least one effectiveness outcome. Exclusion criteria included articles without full-text access and those involving other neurological pathologies. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROB2, ROBINS-I, and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools. Results A total of 35 studies were included for evaluation. A reduction in phantom limb pain was consistently reported. Improvements in spatiotemporal gait parameters were observed. Additionally, functionality showed enhancement through reduced task completion time and fewer errors during task performance. Conclusions There is evidence supporting the effectiveness of virtual reality-based interventions in improving limb mobility, strength, gait retraining, pain reduction, and overall functionality and independence in patients with limb amputation.