It led to greater improvements than Tai Chi in balance, walking speed, and more
Written by Patricia Inácio, PhD | Sept. 25, 2026
- Parkinson's disease patients experience mobility limitations and gait difficulties that contribute to falls and a reduced quality of life.
- VR gait training improved several measures of mobility in Parkinson's more effectively than aquatic Tai Chi, a small trial found.
- Some of those advantages remained for another three months after training ended.
Both aquatic Tai Chi and virtual reality (VR) training improved walking, balance, mobility, and gait symmetry in people with Parkinson’s disease. However, VR training led to greater improvements in several measures and maintained some of these benefits three months after training ended, a small clinical trial found.
The study compared aquatic Tai Chi with training using the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), an advanced virtual reality system that provides patients with visual cues and real-time feedback while they practice walking, over 12 weeks (about three months).
At the end of the 12-week intervention, participants using CAREN performed better across measures of Parkinson’s motor symptoms, balance, mobility, walking endurance, walking speed, and gait symmetry. Some of those advantages remained for another three months after training ended.
The study, “Effects of Aquatic Tai Chi and Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment-Based Virtual Reality Training on Rehabilitation in Patients with Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” was published in the journal Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Gait difficulties impact quality of life in Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is characterized by motor symptoms such as slowed movement, balance problems, and impaired walking. The disease is caused by the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells, which release the neurotransmitter dopamine, a chemical messenger that enables nerve cells to communicate and, among other functions, helps regulate movement.
Gait difficulties are a major contributor to disability, falls, and reduced quality of life in Parkinson’s.
Although medications that replace or mimic the effects of dopamine are a cornerstone of Parkinson’s treatment, their long-term ability to control walking and balance problems is limited as the disease progresses. Exercise and rehabilitation, therefore, play an important role in maintaining mobility.
Tai Chi emphasizes controlled weight shifting, posture, and coordinated movement. Aquatic Tai Chi allows people to practice slow, controlled movements in water with less weight bearing.
VR-based training offers another rehabilitation approach aimed at improving balance, walking, and functional mobility. Computer-generated environments can provide visual cues and real-time feedback while patients practice walking tasks under controlled conditions. In Parkinson’s, this type of training may help compensate for difficulties with the automatic control and adaptation of walking.
CAREN is an advanced VR system that combines a treadmill and motion platform with visual feedback and changing simulated walking environments.
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