Upper limb training using Wii Sports Resort for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: a randomized, single-blind...

To investigate whether Wii Sports Resort training is effective and if any benefits are maintained.

Randomized, single-blind trial.

Sixty-two hemiplegic children with cerebral palsy (6-13 years).

Experimental group undertook six weeks of home-based Wii Sports Resort training plus usual therapy, while the control group received usual therapy.

Outcomes were coordination, strength, hand function, and carers' perception of hand function, measured at baseline, six, and 12 weeks by a blinded assessor.

There was a trend of mean difference (MD) for the experimental group to have more grip strength by six (MD 4.0 N, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.8 to 8.8, p = 0.10) and 12 (MD 4.1 N, 95% CI -2.1 to 10.3, p = 0.19) weeks, and to have a higher quantity of hand function according to carers' perception by six (MD 4.5 N, 95% CI -0.7 to 9.7, p = 0.09) and strengthened by 12 (MD 6.4, 95% CI 0.6 to 12.3, p = 0.03) weeks than the control group. There was no difference between groups in coordination and hand function by six or 12 weeks.

Wii training did not improve coordination, strength, or hand function. Beyond the intervention, carers perceived that the children used their hands more.