Application of Non-Immersive Virtual Reality in Cerebral Palsy Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a movement disorder caused by brain damage. Virtual reality (VR) can improve motor function and daily life activities in CP patients. This systematic review examines the use of non-immersive VR in treating CP children. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of non-immersive VR in rehabilitating CP children as a standalone intervention or in combination with traditional therapy. The review follows the PRISMA guidelines and includes a comprehensive search of five bibliographic databases. Two reviewers independently assess the search results, evaluate full-text publications, and extract relevant data. The outcomes were described by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) framework. A total of 20 English-language studies published between January 2013 and January 2023 are included in the review based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings demonstrate that non-immersive VR, when used in conjunction with traditional therapy, yields positive effects on body structure and function (hand function, grip strength, and upper extremity function), activity (motor function, activities of daily life [ADL], balance), and participation (caretakers' assessment, usability, motivation, and user satisfaction) in CP children. Moreover, non-immersive VR alone is found to be more efficient than traditional therapy in improving manual dexterity in CP children. The non-immersive VR can be effective in rehabilitating CP children, and the review concludes by recommending future research with larger sample sizes and randomized trials to investigate further the potential benefits of non-immersive VR in this population.