Virtual reality could help stroke survivors walk again in the real world

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis: Anischemic or hemorrhagic stroke verified by imaging, confirmed by the patient's physician, and 1-6 months post-stroke (subacute phase) * Motor Impairment Level: Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) 3-5, showing moderate impairment while still allowing safe participation in gait tasks. * Cognitive Function: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 24 or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score \>= 20, indicating sufficient cognitive function to participate in the study. * Exercise Clearance: Approval from a physician for participation in exercise- and VR-based interventions. * Rehabilitation Need: 10-Meter Walk Test \<1.0 m/s, as timed by a PT during screening, indicating a need for functional rehabilitation. * Consent: Must be able to provide informed consent for themselves. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants with uncontrolled cardiovascular, orthopedic, or metabolic conditions or unstable medication regimens that could interfere with their participation in the study. * Any comorbidity that could interfere with walking or gait training. * Participation in robot- or VR-assisted gait training within the last 6 months. * Intolerance to virtual reality environments or motion simulation. * Severe cognitive, visual, or hearing impairments where the participant cannot follow the therapist's instructions. * Any other condition deemed unsafe or confounding by investigator, such as pre-existing neurological conditions unrelated to stroke (e.g. Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis), unmanaged pain medications, or acute medical events during the screening period (e.g. recurrent stroke, hospitalization). * Individuals who score a 12 or higher on the Disability Rating Scale. * Recent Therapy: Participants should not have received physical therapy (PT) within the last month.