Virtual Reality-Incorporated Horse Riding Simulator to Improve Motor Function and Balance in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study

The Role of Immersive Virtual Reality Interventions in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review across Motor and Cognitive Domains

Background: In recent years, new technologies have been applied in cerebral palsy. Among these, immersive virtual reality is one with promising motor and cognitive effects along with the reduced costs of its application. The level of immersion of the subject in the illusional world gives the feeling of being a real part of the virtual environment. This study aims to investigate the safety and the efficacy of immersive virtual reality in children affected by cerebral palsy. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, RehabData, and Web of Science were screened up to February 2023 to identify eligible clinical studies. Results: Out of 788, we included 15 studies involving CP patients. There was high heterogeneity in the outcomes considered, and the results showed non-inferiority to conventional therapy and initial additional benefits in comparison with conventional rehabilitation. Conclusions: Immersive virtual reality emerges as a pivotal technological tool in rehabilitation, seamlessly integrating with conventional therapy within CP rehabilitation programs. Indeed, it not only enhances motivation but significantly increases children's functional capacity and abilities.

Immersive Innovations: Exploring the Diverse Applications of Virtual Reality (VR) in Healthcare

Virtual reality (VR) has experienced a remarkable evolution over recent decades, evolving from its initial applications in specific military domains to becoming a ubiquitous and easily accessible technology. This thorough review delves into the intricate domain of VR within healthcare, seeking to offer a comprehensive understanding of its historical evolution, theoretical foundations, and current adoption status. The examination explores the advantages of VR in enhancing the educational experience for medical students, with a particular focus on skill acquisition and retention. Within this exploration, the review dissects the applications of VR across diverse medical disciplines, highlighting its role in surgical training and anatomy/physiology education. While navigating the expansive landscape of VR, the review addresses challenges related to technology and pedagogy, providing insights into overcoming technical hurdles and seamlessly integrating VR into healthcare practices. Additionally, the review looks ahead to future directions and emerging trends, examining the potential impact of technological advancements and innovative applications in healthcare. This review illuminates the transformative potential of VR as a tool poised to revolutionize healthcare practices.

Virtual reality applications in pediatric surgery

Virtual reality modeling (VRM) is a 3-dimensional (3D) simulation. It is a powerful tool and has multiple uses and applications in pediatric surgery. Patient-specific 2-dimensional imaging can be used to generate a virtual reality model, which can improve anatomical perception and understanding, and can aid in preoperative planning for complex operations. VRM can also be used for realistic training and simulation. It has also proven effective in distraction for pediatric patients experiencing pain and/or anxiety. We detail the technical requirements and process required for VRM generation, the applications, and future directions.

Effectiveness of Mechanical Horse-Riding Simulator-Based Interventions in Patients with Cerebral Palsy-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Mechanical horse-riding simulator (HRS) exercises are a type of therapy based on the use of robotic or mechanical devices that produces movement similar to a real horse with the aim of simulating hippotherapy. This review analyses the effectiveness of HRS therapies in patients with cerebral palsy (CP).

METHODS

A systematic review and a meta-analysis were carried out by searching studies in PubMed Medline, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL, PEDro and SciELO up until October 2022. We selected clinical trials that assessed the effectiveness of HRS therapy, compared to other interventions, in patients with CP. The main variables were gross motor function (its global score and dimensions, such as sitting ability), functional balance, spasticity, hip range of motion (ROM), posturographic balance and satisfaction. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The pooled effect was calculated using Cohen's Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) for a 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included in the systematic review, and 10 were included in the meta-analysis, providing data from 343 patients with spastic diplegic CP. Our findings revealed that HRS plus physiotherapy is more effective than physiotherapy in improving the total gross motor function (SMD 0.98; 95% CI 0.35-1.62), sitting ability of the gross motor function (SMD 0.84; 95% CI 0.32-1.36) and functional balance (SMD 0.6; 95% CI 0.1-1.08), and HRS therapy is better than sham to improve pelvic abduction ROM (SMD 0.79; 95% CI 0.21-1.37).

CONCLUSIONS

Horse-riding simulator-based therapy is an effective therapy to improve gross motor function, functional balance and abduction pelvic ROM in children with CP, in comparison to physiotherapy or sham.