Effectiveness of Virtual Gait System Intervention in Motor Function in Older People.

The prevalence of gait and balance disorders increases by 10% between 60 and 69 years of age, reaching 60% in people over 80 years of age or 82% in people over 85 years of age. These disorders are also characteristic of populations with different neurological or musculoskeletal conditions. This supposes a profound psychological and socioeconomic impact on the affected person's life, in addition to the implicit physical impact.

After an injury (whether acquired or due to deterioration due to aging), there is a spontaneous functional recovery that can have different paths depending on the characteristics of the injury and the person. Previous studies have shown that the neuroplasticity of residual corticospinal fibers, motor cortex and spinal neurons plays an important role in the spontaneous functional recovery of people with neurological or musculoskeletal pathology, as well as in the reorganization of the spinal system. motor skills of the elderly. However, it is also possible to stimulate the neuroplasticity mechanisms of these structures through techniques aimed at rehabilitating different deficits (for example, motor function or sensitivity). In general, intervention programs aimed at improving neuroplasticity are usually carried out, in most cases, using low-cost strategies such as therapeutic physical exercise programs.

This nerve reorganization and recovery can also be influenced by the activity of mirror neurons, which are found in motor and premotor areas and also in other cortical and subcortical areas; and report activation when they observe an action with a specific purpose. The activity of these neurons has been studied in different populations with Central Nervous System (CNS) involvement, such as strokes, head injuries, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. For its study, experimental investigations have been carried out applying different interventions that modify the activity of mirror neurons, such as mirror therapy, virtual reality therapies, Action-Observation therapies or visual illusion. In general, promising results have been obtained in all these populations, except in the case of advanced-stage Alzheimer's disease.

Visual illusion therapies have been used in different populations, such as spinal cord injury, with promising results. However, this type of therapy has not been studied in other populations with different neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, as well as in the elderly population.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a virtual walking treatment (visual illusion) comparing it with interventions combined with specific physical exercise of walking in elderly people, on the functional capacity of this population.