EFFECT OF VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING ON BALANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of virtual reality training on balance and functionality in children with Cerebral Palsy. Methods: Children with spastic Cerebral Palsy were randomly divided into the virtual reality training group (27 children, mean age: 9.2 years) and control group (25 children, mean age: 9.4 years). The virtual reality training group received virtual reality training using the XBox One Kinect gaming system and the control group received conventional physiotherapy training for eight weeks. The Pediatric Balance Scale, The Gross Motor Function Measurement-88, The Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test, The Functional Reach Test, The Sit to Stand Test and The Pediatric Disability Evaluation Inventory were measured at baseline and after treatment sessions. Results: Total motor function, upper extremity skills and balance in both groups improved after training (p < 0.05). A comparison between groups demonstrated that the improvements in upper extremity functions was greater in the control group than in the virtual reality training group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study showed that Kinect-based virtual reality training is beneficial in improving balance, motor function and upper extremity skills in children with Cerebral Palsy.