Emilia Wysoczańska, Anna Skrzek

E. Wysoczańska, A. Skrzek – The impact of technology-based therapy on activity level and endurance of children with cerebral palsy. FP 2017; 17(2); 100-111

Abstract

Objectives. This study aims to evaluate the impact of therapies using external motion controllers, such as Kinect (i.e. virtual reality therapies) on functional fitness of children with cerebral palsy on the example of three selected therapeutic modules: Raft, Oarsman, and Gym.
Methods and materials. Fourteen children aged 8-12 years and diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) were invited to participate in the study. The children have undergone traditional rehabilitation therapy. Additionally, they have also been treated with virtual reality therapy for two months, as a form of supporting treatment (three tests were conducted at that time). Two months after the therapy a fourth control test was conducted.
Results and conclusion. Analysis of activity level has demonstrated that the therapy period has yielded positive results, while the two-month break has caused a decrease in the therapeutic results in comparison to the last test. Endurance evaluation conducted in the therapy period has not produced a significant result, but this might be remedied by a prolonged exposure to the given therapeutic modules. In the Raft and Gym modules, which have been designed to improve attention, activity level decreases in the course of the therapy. This is an indication that, over time, patients pay increasingly more attention to the exercises, focusing on movement precision. In the Oarsman module, in which patients practice movement that prioritizes speed, activity level increases between the first and the fourth test, along with the patients’ training intensity

Key words:
rehabilitation therapy, virtual reality, SeeMe program

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