Xbox Kinect For Upper Limb Function in Cerebral Palsy Version One
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does the Xbox Kinect have the Potential to Improve Upper Limb Function in Children with Ambulant Cerebral Palsy?
IRAS ID
141667
Contact name
Ian Male
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sussex NHS Research Consortium
Research summary
This is an exploratory study designed to determine the potential of delivering “virtual reality therapy“, using the Xbox kinect in children with cerebral palsy (CP), a disorder of motor function resulting from injury to the developing brain. Children with CP frequently have difficulties using their upper limbs in activities such as getting dressed, feeding or throwing a ball. Physio and occupational therapists use a number of exercises to improve this function although compliance with these is often poor. Following the success of our previous study using the Wii Fit to improve motor skills in children with developmental coordination disorder, it is hoped that delivering such exercises in the form of virtual reality games may provide an effective alternative, with improved compliance.
The Xbox kinect, operating through a video camera, mirrors the movement of the child directly into the movements of the on screen avatar. So, for example to succeed at 10 pin bowling the child has to work out how to swing their arm forwards to bowl the bowl towards the pins much as they would when playing for real at a bowling alley.
Children with cerebral palsy, who are able to walk unaided, will be invited to attend for 5 hour long group sessions over a week, when they will play Xbox games requiring upper limb movement (eg tennis, 10 pin bowling). Validated measures of motor function will be taken pre and post intervention to determine potential degree of improvement that such an intervention may deliver. Questionnaires will explore whether families already possess virtual reality gaming systems at home, enjoyment of the intervention and likelihood of participation in a future definitive study (RCT).
Together with recruitment and attendance rates, this data will be used to determine whether a larger RCT is justified and inform its design.REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0110
Date of REC Opinion
18 Mar 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion