A virtual reality approach to gait training in service members with lower extremity amputations

Gait training is an essential part of the rehabilitation process for those with lower extremity (LE) amputations. For service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) allows virtual reality to be incorporated into gait training as an adjunct to conventional therapies. This retrospective case series examines the self-selected velocities achieved in two different virtual environments (VE) by 11 service members with LE amputations. These VEs allowed participants to progress from level walking to more challenging terrain. Over periods of four to eight weeks, all participants were found to increase their self-selected velocities; progression appears to be individual. The preliminary results obtained indicate that further investigation is warranted.