Therapeutic Effects of Metaverse Rehabilitation for Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Metaverse physical therapy (MPT), an adjuvant technology for the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy (CP), has gained notoriety in the clinical field owing to its accessibility and because it provides motivation for rehabilitation. The aim is to compare the gross motor function and cardiopulmonary function, the activities of daily living, quality of life (QOL), and the perceived risk of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 transmission between MPT and conventional physical therapy (CPT). A convenience sample of 26 children with CP (mean age, 11.23 ± 3.24 years, 14 females) were randomized into either the MPT or CPT group and received therapy three days/week for four weeks. Clinical outcomes included gross-motor-function measure 66 (GMFM-66), heart rate (HR), Borg-rating perceived exertion (BRPE), functional independence measure (FIM), pediatric QOL, and the risk of COVID-19 transmission. An analysis of variance showed that compared with CPT, MPT exerted positive effects on GMFM, HR, and BRPE. An independent t-test showed that compared with CPT, MPT exerted positive effects on the perceived transmission risk of COVID-19 but not on FIM and QOL. Our results provide promising therapeutic evidence that MPT improves gross motor function, cardiopulmonary function, and the risk of COVID-19 in children with CP.