WellChild Research Projects

Improving Core Control of Children with Cerebral Palsy using Virtual Reality Games

Researcher: Dr Gabor Barton, Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Henry Cotton Campus, Liverpool, L3 2ET

Grant award sum: £102,917

Duration: September 2008 - June 2010

Synopsis: Cerebral palsy develops as a result of a brain damage around birth in about 1 in every 400 babies. Many children with this condition receive physiotherapy in order to improve control of their trunk and pelvis (core) but there is a lack of agreement on how core control can be measured and improved best. This is important because good posture and movement of the centre of the body is a pre-condition of moving the legs efficiently when walking.

The team involved in this research uses the only CAREN virtual reality system in the UK which enables them to create computer games driven by movement of the pelvis and trunk. The aim of this study is to test if custom made games can improve core control and consequentially the quality of walking, and to see if this technique is more beneficial than conventional physiotherapy. Collaboration between the partners involved in this project has already resulted in an award winning small study confirming the potential of using this approach. Continued work is expected to lead to clinical implementation and commercial application making core control training available for children with movement disorders even at home.

The result should be a an enjoyable computer game experience for the children which encourages them to comply  better with their treatment and improve their movement more quickly thus reducing the overall cost of treatment.

See futher information about the project here