title: An intensive virtual reality program improves functional balance and mobility of adolescents with cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine functional balance and mobility in adolescents with cerebral palsy classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level I following an intensive short-duration virtual reality (VR) intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-subject, multiple-baseline design with 4 adolescents. Outcomes included the Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CB&M), the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), the Timed Up and Down Stairs, and the Gross Motor Function Measure Dimension E. Assessments were recorded 3 to 6 times at baseline, 5 times during intervention, and 4 times at follow-up. Daily 90-minute VR intervention was completed for 5 consecutive days. Visual, statistical, and clinical significance analyses were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant improvements were shown in all adolescents on CB&M and 6MWT. True change was recorded in all for the CB&M and in 3 for the 6MWT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional balance and mobility in adolescents with cerebral palsy classified at GMFCS level I improve with intense, short duration VR intervention, and changes are maintained at 1-month posttraining.
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. mbrien@octc.ca
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brien
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sveistrup
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D004856:Postural Balance; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D016138:Walking