StrokeNCT07520253
Effect of Virtual Reality on Cortical Reorganization and Upper Extremity Functional Recovery in Patients With Subacute Stroke
A study testing Virtual Reality and Conventional physical therapy program in people with Stroke, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
The purposes of the study are: 1. To investigate the effect of virtual reality in patients with subacute stage of Stroke on cortical reorganization. 2. To investigate the effect of virtual reality in patients with subacute stage of Stroke on upper extremity functional recovery. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 50 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Stroke
- What is being tested?
- Virtual Reality and Conventional physical therapy program
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 1 May 2026to 30 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 50 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- • Age ranges from 50 to 65 years.
- Both sexes (male and female).
- First stroke ever (ischemic or hemorrhagic) within the last three months.
- Clinical diagnosis of subacute stroke confirmed by neuroimaging (CT / MRI).
- Hemiparetic shoulder power more than three according to Medical Research Council Scale (MRC) (James, 2007).
- Patients who are able to manipulate the Wii remote control.
- Muscle tone grade 1 to 1+ (Mild to Moderate) spasticity for shoulder joint according to Modified Ashworth Scale (Meseguer et al., 2018).
- Participants are in normal cognitive and psychological status according to Montreal Cognitive Assessment screening (Hawkins et al., 2014).
Who cannot join
- • Patients having severe arm or shoulder pain or symptomatic shoulder sublaxation.
- Contractures or shoulder deformities.
- Patients who have previous experience in using Wii.
- Patients with problems that may interfere with using Wii suchas epilepsy, visual impairments, apraxia and/or spatial neglect
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
MOHAMMED RAMADAN IBRAHIM MOHAMMED Mohammed, M.S.C contact
ABEER ABO BAKR ABDELKADER ELWISHY PROF. DR., Professor contact
About this study
Official title: Effect Of Virtual Reality On Cortical Reorganization And Upper Extremity Functional Recovery In Patients With Subacute Stroke
The purposes of the study are:
- To investigate the effect of virtual reality in patients with subacute stage of Stroke on cortical reorganization.
- To investigate the effect of virtual reality in patients with subacute stage of Stroke on upper extremity functional recovery.
- Conditions
- Stroke
- Being tested
- Virtual Reality, Conventional physical therapy program
- Keywords
- Stroke
- Medical subject headings
- Stroke
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual RealityOther
Also called Exergaming using Nintendo WII
Twenty patients with subacute stroke will receive conventional physical therapy program and virtual reality through Nintendo Wii The patient will hold the Wii remote in his hand to move the Avatar on the screen and practice the exercise Figure.6. If the patient cannot hold the Wii remote in his hand it will be strapped to his hand. A full instruction according to every game will be explained to the patients explaining every game rules and how to perform and what is the goal of each game. The patient will have one trial in every game to perform before setting the time. Screen /projector will be positioned at eye level of each patient and a Chair for sitting or standing according to the patient, The patient will select three games from Wii sports (Tennis- Golf- Boxing-Baseball) then patients will be given a trial of playing each game to be familiar with it after that they will be given one hour practice 20 minutes for each game for six weeks and three times per week (18 sessions)
Conventional physical therapy programOther
Patients will have conventional physical therapy program as follow :
Range of motion (ROM) and stretching begin with passive ROM to all joints of the upper limb (10 repetitions × 2 sets), followed by active-assisted ROM using a stick or the unaffected limb. Stretching is performed for 30-60 seconds, 3-5 repetitions.Strengthening exercises focus on isometric contractions of scapular stabilizers, deltoid, and biceps/triceps, holding 5-10 seconds × 10 repetitions, along with isotonic exercises using therabands or light weights (0.5-1 kg) for 8-12 repetitions × 2-3 sets. Activities of daily living (ADL) training involve self-care practices including grooming, eating, and buttoning, as well as task-specific training such as reaching, grasping, and releasing real objects. Each ADL task is practiced for 15-20 minutes, with 1-2 tasks per session.Scapular stability exercises include graded practice with large to small objects, bimanual training (e.g., holding a bowl while stirring)
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional physical therapy group ( Control Group ) ( Group I ) | Active comparator | Patients will have conventional physical therapy program as follow :
Range of motion (ROM) and stretching begin with passive ROM to all joints of the upper limb (10 repetitions × 2 sets), followed by active-assisted ROM using a stick or the unaffected limb. Stretching is performed for 30-60 seconds, 3-5 repetitions.Strengthening exercises focus on isometric contractions of scapular stabilizers, deltoid, and biceps/triceps, holding 5-10 seconds × 10 repetitions, along with isotonic exercises using therabands or light weights (0.5-1 kg) for 8-12 repetitions × 2-3 sets. Activities of daily living (ADL) training involve self-care practices including grooming, eating, and buttoning, as well as task-specific training such as reaching, grasping, and releasing real objects. Each ADL task is practiced for 15-20 minutes, with 1-2 tasks per session.Scapular stability exercises include graded practice with large to small objects, bimanual training will be applied to both groups Receives: Other: Conventional physical therapy program |
| Virtual reality group (Study group) (Group II) | Experimental | This group will be treated by conventional physical therapy program in addition to virtual reality using Nintendo Wii Group II (study group) will receive the same treatment as group I in addition to exergaming technology using Nintendo Wii. The Wii program will be of game based VR movement therapy using the Wii for one hour each session. Three games will be selected from the Wii sports and Wii Fit packages for upper limb. Participants who could not grip the controller, a bandage will be used to fix the controller on to the affected hand. Games like; Tennis, Baseball, Golf club and Boxing. The patient will select three games from Wii sports (Tennis- Golf- Boxing-Baseball) then patients will be given a trial of playing each game to be familiar with it after that they will be given one hour practice 20 minutes for each game for six weeks and three times per week (18 sessions) Receives: Other: Virtual Reality; Other: Conventional physical therapy program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Upper Extremity Functional Recovery
Upper Extremity Functional Recovery will be assessed by Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory-7 item version (CAHAI-7). CAHAI-7 assesses the affected arm and hand during bilateral tasks by asking the person to complete seven specific activities. Each item of the CAHAI is scored on a 7-point quantitative scale ranging from 7 to 49, with higher scores reflecting greater functional recovery
Measured: 6 months
Cortical Reorganization
Cortical Reorganization will be assessed by Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG) QEEG indices can give meaningful prognostic information of motor and functional recovery in patients with stroke. Delta Alpha Ratio (DAR) and Delta Theta to Alpha Beta Ratio (DTABR) are quantitative EEG (QEEG) indices used to measure brain electrical activity. Lower values of DAR and DTABR are associated with better recovery in patients with brain injury.
Measured: 6 months
Gross manual dexterity
Gross manual dexterity will be assessed by Box and Block test (BBT). BBT contains a wooden box that is divided into two sections and the patient is asked to move the blocks from one side of to the other side. The BBT score represents the number of blocks successfully moved from one side of the box to the other within 60 seconds. A higher score indicates greater manual dexterity
Measured: 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Apr 2026
- Study start1 May 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for StrokeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Mohammed Ramadan Ibrahim Mohammed, Cairo University
- Investigators
- ABEER ABO BAKR ABDELKADER ELWISHY ELWISHY, Professor of Physical Therapy, Study chair, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07520253
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P.T.REC/012/006118
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 31 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 9 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Because of patients privacy
Publications
Sood I, Injety RJ, Farheen A, Kamali S, Jacob A, Mathewson K, Buck BH, Kate MP. Quantitative electroencephalography to assess post-stroke functional disability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2024 Dec;33(12):108032. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2024.108032. Epub 2024 Sep 30.
PubMed 39357611Wu J, Zeng A, Chen Z, Wei Y, Huang K, Chen J, Ren Z. Effects of Virtual Reality Training on Upper Limb Function and Balance in Stroke Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Meta-Analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Oct 12;23(10):e31051. doi: 10.2196/31051.
PubMed 34636735
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect Of Virtual Reality On Cortical Reorganization And Upper Extremity Functional Recovery In Patients With Subacute Stroke
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07520253
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- P.T.REC/012/006118
- Conditions
- Stroke
- Keywords
- Stroke
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purposes of the study are:
- To investigate the effect of virtual reality in patients with subacute stage of Stroke on cortical reorganization.
- To investigate the effect of virtual reality in patients with subacute stage of Stroke on upper extremity functional recovery.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional physical therapy group ( Control Group ) ( Group I ) | Active comparator | Other: Conventional physical therapy programPatients will have conventional physical therapy program as follow : Range of motion (ROM) and stretching begin with passive ROM to all joints of the upper limb (10 repetitions × 2 sets), followed by active-assisted ROM using a stick or the unaffected limb. Stretching is performed for 30-60 seconds, 3-5 repetitions.Strengthening exercises focus on isometric contractions of scapular stabilizers, deltoid, and biceps/triceps, holding 5-10 seconds × 10 repetitions, along with isotonic exercises using therabands or light weights (0.5-1 kg) for 8-12 repetitions × 2-3 sets. Activities of daily living (ADL) training involve self-care practices including grooming, eating, and buttoning, as well as task-specific training such as reaching, grasping, and releasing real objects. Each ADL task is practiced for 15-20 minutes, with 1-2 tasks per session.Scapular stability exercises include graded practice with large to small objects, bimanual training will be applied to both groups |
| Virtual reality group (Study group) (Group II) | Experimental | Other: Virtual Reality, Other: Conventional physical therapy programThis group will be treated by conventional physical therapy program in addition to virtual reality using Nintendo Wii Group II (study group) will receive the same treatment as group I in addition to exergaming technology using Nintendo Wii. The Wii program will be of game based VR movement therapy using the Wii for one hour each session. Three games will be selected from the Wii sports and Wii Fit packages for upper limb. Participants who could not grip the controller, a bandage will be used to fix the controller on to the affected hand. Games like; Tennis, Baseball, Golf club and Boxing. The patient will select three games from Wii sports (Tennis- Golf- Boxing-Baseball) then patients will be given a trial of playing each game to be familiar with it after that they will be given one hour practice 20 minutes for each game for six weeks and three times per week (18 sessions) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 50 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- • Age ranges from 50 to 65 years.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- • Patients having severe arm or shoulder pain or symptomatic shoulder sublaxation.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual RealityAlso: Exergaming using Nintendo WIITwenty patients with subacute stroke will receive conventional physical therapy program and virtual reality through Nintendo Wii The patient will hold the Wii remote in his hand to move the Avatar on the screen and practice the exercise Figure.6. If the patient cannot hold the Wii remote in his hand it will be strapped to his hand. A full instruction according to every game will be explained to the patients explaining every game rules and how to perform and what is the goal of each game. The patient will have one trial in every game to perform before setting the time. Screen /projector will be positioned at eye level of each patient and a Chair for sitting or standing according to the patient, The patient will select three games from Wii sports (Tennis- Golf- Boxing-Baseball) then patients will be given a trial of playing each game to be familiar with it after that they will be given one hour practice 20 minutes for each game for six weeks and three times per week (18 sessions) | Other | Virtual reality group (Study group) (Group II) |
| Conventional physical therapy programPatients will have conventional physical therapy program as follow : Range of motion (ROM) and stretching begin with passive ROM to all joints of the upper limb (10 repetitions × 2 sets), followed by active-assisted ROM using a stick or the unaffected limb. Stretching is performed for 30-60 seconds, 3-5 repetitions.Strengthening exercises focus on isometric contractions of scapular stabilizers, deltoid, and biceps/triceps, holding 5-10 seconds × 10 repetitions, along with isotonic exercises using therabands or light weights (0.5-1 kg) for 8-12 repetitions × 2-3 sets. Activities of daily living (ADL) training involve self-care practices including grooming, eating, and buttoning, as well as task-specific training such as reaching, grasping, and releasing real objects. Each ADL task is practiced for 15-20 minutes, with 1-2 tasks per session.Scapular stability exercises include graded practice with large to small objects, bimanual training (e.g., holding a bowl while stirring) | Other | Conventional physical therapy group ( Control Group ) ( Group I ), Virtual reality group (Study group) (Group II) |
Primary outcome
Upper Extremity Functional Recovery
Time frame: 6 months
Upper Extremity Functional Recovery will be assessed by Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory-7 item version (CAHAI-7). CAHAI-7 assesses the affected arm and hand during bilateral tasks by asking the person to complete seven specific activities. Each item of the CAHAI is scored on a 7-point quantitative scale ranging from 7 to 49, with higher scores reflecting greater functional recovery
Cortical Reorganization
Time frame: 6 months
Cortical Reorganization will be assessed by Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG) QEEG indices can give meaningful prognostic information of motor and functional recovery in patients with stroke. Delta Alpha Ratio (DAR) and Delta Theta to Alpha Beta Ratio (DTABR) are quantitative EEG (QEEG) indices used to measure brain electrical activity. Lower values of DAR and DTABR are associated with better recovery in patients with brain injury.
Gross manual dexterity
Time frame: 6 months
Gross manual dexterity will be assessed by Box and Block test (BBT). BBT contains a wooden box that is divided into two sections and the patient is asked to move the blocks from one side of to the other side. The BBT score represents the number of blocks successfully moved from one side of the box to the other within 60 seconds. A higher score indicates greater manual dexterity
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Apr 2026.
- Background: PubMed 39357611Sood I, Injety RJ, Farheen A, Kamali S, Jacob A, Mathewson K, Buck BH, Kate MP. Quantitative electroencephalography to assess post-stroke functional disability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2024 Dec;33(12):108032. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2024.108032. Epub 2024 Sep 30.
- Background: PubMed 34636735Wu J, Zeng A, Chen Z, Wei Y, Huang K, Chen J, Ren Z. Effects of Virtual Reality Training on Upper Limb Function and Balance in Stroke Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Meta-Analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Oct 12;23(10):e31051. doi: 10.2196/31051.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Because of patients privacy
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
MOHAMMED RAMADAN IBRAHIM MOHAMMED Mohammed, M.S.C contact
ABEER ABO BAKR ABDELKADER ELWISHY PROF. DR., Professor contact
ABEER ABO BAKR ABDELKADER ELWISHY ELWISHY, Professor of Physical Therapy study chair
Cairo University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual Reality and Conventional physical therapy program in people with Stroke, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact MOHAMMED RAMADAN IBRAHIM MOHAMMED Mohammed, M.S.C (+201004345510, mohammed.ramadan@the.Suezuni.edu.eg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Upper Extremity Functional Recovery (time frame: 6 months). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07520253, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Apr 2026.