Randomized trial finds seated virtual reality exercise improves activity and cardiometabolic markers in cerebral palsy, suggesting feasible home-based therapy.
Key Points
To examine the feasibility and impact of a home-based, seated virtual reality exercise telehealth intervention on physical activity and cardiometabolic health in youth with cerebral palsy.
Randomized two-arm parallel group trial comparing an immediate-start 12-week home exercise program against a waitlist control maintaining usual daily activities.
Enrolled 32 young participants with cerebral palsy (mean age 16 years 8 months [SD 3 years 8 months]; 19 females, 13 males) who used Meta Quest headsets adapted for seated exergaming targeting 150 minutes per week.
Collected outcome measures remotely at baseline (week 0), mid-intervention (week 7), and post-intervention (week 13).
Immediate-start completers (n = 13) performed an average of 144 minutes per week (SD 73) of exercise with an overall study dropout rate of 9.4%, while reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity increased by 166% at week 7 and 108% at week 13.
In the immediate-start arm, insulin levels improved by 45.2% and triglycerides improved by 20.2% between week 0 and week 7.
In the waitlist control arm, insulin worsened by 42.8% and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein worsened by 40% from week 0 to week 13.