Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Many children and youth with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy or acquired brain injury have problems with balance and movement that affect how they participate at home and in their communities. Physiotherapists work with these children to reduce this disability by helping them to learn or relearn functional balance and movement skills. Virtual reality (VR) therapy, involving interactive, real-time computer simulations, may enhance this process. VR systems have been embraced for their appeal to children, their demand for movement and balance skills, their rich sensory stimulation, their range of skill levels, and the extra motivation they provide for kids to practice. Despite their popularity, therapists are challenged to use VR effectively. Research is needed to evaluate how therapists can use this technology to improve learning of functional activities like balance and walking skills. These are the goals of this research study. Our approach is informed by contemporary motor learning theory, which outlines strategies for how children best learn when motivated by functional tasks and provided with real-time feedback. Our previous research demonstrates that therapists struggle to use motor learning theory within their VR interventions. Therefore, we will develop and test a VR intervention that teaches therapists how to effectively incorporate motor learning theory. We will first study how different VR systems employ key motor learning principles and then ask therapists about their learning needs related to using VR in clinical practice. We will use this information to create and evaluate a VR intervention protocol. We believe that the role of VR within rehabilitation will continue to grow as new systems are developed and become accessible within mainstream practice. This research is expected to directly impact the effective and efficient use of VR by physiotherapists, reduce disability in this population, and inform further research in this area.