ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the reliability of upper extremity proprioceptive assessment test using virtual environment technique (VET) in patients with stroke with test-retest paradigm and define criterion for normal value by comparing with unimpaired control group. METHOD: Thirty stroke patients and 30 control groups were recruited. The VET apparatus is consisted of virtual reality upper extremity tester (VRUPT), encoder, and head-mounted display (HMD). VET-based test is composed of two tasks. Angle assessment task is required matching of imposed joint positions without visual feedback for checking angle error. Reaching assessment task is required matching of imposed cylinder with visual feedback for checking time, number of click, total interaction error. RESULTS: In the test-retest analysis, correlation coefficients ranged from 0.73 to 0.99 (p<0.01). Significant differences consistently found between affected upper extremity joint of stroke group and corresponding upper extremity joint of control group for the major variables (p<0.05). The cut off value in shoulder, elbow, wrist joints were calculated as 8.24degrees, 8.41degrees, 10.31degrees and the frequency of proprioceptive abnormalities based on these cut off value of angle error in shoulder, elbow, wrist joints showed 60%, 67%, 83% respectively, in our stroke group. CONCLUSION: This VET-based proprioceptive assessment test shows promise in assessing proprioception in patients with stroke more objectively and quantitatively.