Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
Mobile Game-based Virtual Reality Program for Upper Extremity Stroke Rehabilitation
Published on: March 8, 2018
Effect of virtual reality and haptic feedback on upper extremity function and functional independence in children
Chanan Goyal1,2, Vishnu Vardhan3, Waqar Naqvi4
1Government Physiotherapy College, Raipur, India.
Insights
Virtual reality (VR) with haptic feedback may improve upper extremity function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). This study compared VR therapy plus physiotherapy to physiotherapy alone, showing potential benefits for manual dexterity and functional independence.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Pediatric Neurology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts children's functionality due to sensory-motor deficits on one side of the body.
- Virtual reality (VR) offers an engaging platform for neurological rehabilitation, enhancing patient compliance.
- Haptic feedback integrated with VR presents a novel approach to augment therapeutic interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) combined with haptic feedback for enhancing upper extremity function in children diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
- To compare the outcomes of VR and haptic feedback therapy alongside conventional physiotherapy against conventional physiotherapy alone.
Main Methods:
- A comparative experimental study involving 36 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
- Participants were divided into two groups: Group A received VR and haptic feedback with conventional physiotherapy, while Group B received conventional physiotherapy only.
- Treatment duration was six weeks, with sessions five days a week for 60 minutes daily.
Main Results:
- The study hypothesizes that the VR and haptic feedback group will demonstrate greater improvements in manual dexterity and functional independence.
- Primary outcome measures include the nine-hole peg test (9HPT) and box and block test (BBT) for manual dexterity.
- Secondary outcome measures include ABILHAND-kids and WeeFIM (self-care) to assess functional independence.
Conclusions:
- Haptic-enhanced VR intervention, when combined with conventional therapy, is hypothesized to yield significant improvements in upper extremity function for children with hemiplegic CP.
- This approach may offer a more effective rehabilitation strategy compared to conventional therapy alone.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these potential benefits and optimize VR/haptic therapy protocols.
Abstract:
Hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) is a subcategory of CP which is characterized by sensory motor deficits primarily on one side of the body that adversely affects functionality. Virtual reality (VR) systems have been advanced in the recent past for the use in rehabilitation of patients with neurological conditions. Virtual reality has an inherent motivational component that provides the much-needed compliance for active participation by children. The rationale of the proposed study is to investigate the effect of VR and haptic feedback for improvement of upper extremity function of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. This comparative experimental study will be recruiting 36 children with hemiplegic CP and will be treating them by VR and haptic feedback along with conventional physiotherapy in group A and by conventional physiotherapy only in group B. The children will undergo the treatment for six weeks (five days/week) with each session extending for 60 minutes/day. The primary outcome measures including `nine-hole peg test´ (9HPT) and `box and block test´ (BBT) will assess the manual dexterity and secondary outcome measures including `ABILHAND-kids´ and `WeeFIM (self-care)´ will assess the functional independence that are hypothesized to be gained by haptic enhanced VR intervention when combined with the conventional therapy.
