The Effects of Virtual Reality Patients With Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury

Emine Atıcı

Status

Completed

Conditions

Obstetric Brachial Plexus Injury

Treatments

Other: conventional physiotherapy

Other: Virtual reality treatment

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT04605601

001

Details and patient eligibility

About

Obstetric brachial plexus injury is the flask paralysis of the arm, which emerges from a difficult birth. This results from the damage to the nerves from the C5 cervical root to T1. Following brachial plexus injury, movement impairment, a decrease in the joint range of motion, muscle contractures, motor disorders related to muscle weakness, and the loss of functional movements are commonly observed. Many rehabilitation programs for the upper extremity aim at developing functional improvement in addition to increasing the active range of motion of the related limb in children with Obstetric brachial plexus injury. Obstetric brachial plexus injury treatment includes both conservative and surgical interventions. The first intervention in all the Obstetric brachial plexus injury cases is conservative. In recent years, supporting the treatment with virtual reality exercises in addition to the conventional brachial plexus rehabilitation is a method being tested. The use of virtual reality treatment in physiotherapy and rehabilitation has substantially increased within the last 6-7 years. Virtual reality is a method that enables working with task-based techniques by creating stimulating and entertaining environments and especially using children's interest and motivation. Nintendo Wii, which is used in the virtual reality treatment, is a device that can be controlled wirelessly, consists of a system console, remote control for activity control, and a sensor perceiving the change in movements, and a display screen, and gives the opportunity to work with the person individually. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the conventional physiotherapy approach and virtual reality applications with Nintendo Wii, applied additionally in this study, on upper extremity functions in children with obstetric brachial plexus injury. They can directly be mentioned as the effects on muscle strength, normal joint range of motion, and functionality.

Enrollment

22 patients

Sex

All

Ages

4 to 13 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

undergone primary or -if available- secondary surgery at least 6 months before
Being between the ages of 5-13
be affected by the C5-C6 (upper truncus)

Exclusion criteria

Patients with severe cognitive functional disorder
Patients with cognitive functions inadequate for communication
Patients with any neurological problems
Patients who have a contracture preventing the upper extremity joints from performing activities