Virtual Reality vs Traditional Physical Therapy for Children's Physical Health

(iMOVE Trial)

Overseen By Man Yee Suen

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Disqualifiers: Neurological condition, Developmental disability, Seizures, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 6 weeks

40 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether virtual reality physical therapy (VRPT) can enhance physical activity in hospitalized children with cancer more effectively than traditional physical therapy. Participants will experience both therapy types to determine which provides greater benefit. The trial focuses on children and young adults receiving physical therapy during a hospital stay of at least three days. Those with major neurological conditions or recent surgeries cannot participate. As an unphased trial, this study allows participants to contribute to innovative research that could improve future physical therapy options for young patients.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that virtual reality assisted physical therapy is safe for children?

Research shows that virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used in physical therapy, even for children. Studies suggest that VR can enhance therapy by transforming exercises into interactive games. However, this area remains new, and researchers continue to learn about its effectiveness and safety.

Specific information about VR therapy safety for children is limited. Generally, VR is considered safe, and most people tolerate it well. The main concerns involve minor side effects like dizziness or headaches, similar to those experienced when using VR for video games. To ensure safety, children with conditions like severe motion sickness or seizure disorders are typically excluded from these studies.

In summary, while VR therapy appears promising, more research is needed to fully understand its safety and effectiveness for children. For now, it seems to be a safe option if guidelines are followed. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how Virtual Reality Physical Therapy (VRPT) can enhance children's physical health compared to traditional physical therapy. Unlike traditional therapy that relies on physical exercises guided by therapists, VRPT uses immersive technology to make therapy sessions more engaging and interactive. This innovative approach could potentially boost motivation and participation, particularly in children, making therapy feel more like play than work. By comparing these two methods, researchers hope to discover if VRPT can lead to quicker and more effective rehabilitation outcomes.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for improving children's physical activity?

Research shows that virtual reality physical therapy (VRPT), a treatment option in this trial, can enhance movement skills in children. Studies have found that VRPT makes therapy more engaging and leads to better recovery results for kids. These systems are effective because they offer a fun and interactive way to practice movements. Specifically, case studies highlight VR's success in enhancing motor skills in various groups of children. This trial will compare VRPT with traditional physical therapy (PT) to evaluate their effectiveness in improving children's physical health. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Thomas Caruso

Principal Investigator

Stanford University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for hospitalized children and young adults aged 7-25 who need physical therapy and will stay in the hospital for at least two more days. It's not for those with serious neurological issues, developmental disabilities, infections on their face or hand, severe motion sickness, a history of seizures triggered by flashing lights, or recent major surgery.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 7 and 25 years old.

I am currently seeing a physical therapist.

I expect to stay in the hospital for more than 2 days.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive Virtual Reality assisted Physical Therapy (VRPT) and traditional Physical Therapy (PT) sessions in a crossover design

6 weeks

Multiple sessions per week

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Traditional Physical Therapy
• Virtual Reality Physical Therapy

Trial Overview The study compares virtual reality-assisted physical therapy (VRPT) to traditional methods to see which improves physical activity more in hospitalized kids. Participants are randomly chosen to start with one type of therapy and then switch to the other.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: VRPT then Traditional PT Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will receive Virtual Reality assisted Physical Therapy sessions (VRPT) in the first Physical Therapy (PT) session and will receive traditional Physical Therapy sessions (standard care) in the second Physical Therapy session under the supervision of the accredited physical therapist.

Group II: Traditional PT then VRPT Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will receive traditional Physical Therapy (PT) sessions (standard care) in the first Physical Therapy session and Virtual Reality assisted Physical Therapy sessions (VRPT) in the second Physical Therapy session under the supervision of the accredited physical therapist.

Traditional Physical Therapy is already approved in United States, European Union, Canada for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Physical Therapy for:

• Knee pain due to osteoarthritis
• Musculoskeletal injuries and conditions
• Postoperative rehabilitation
• Chronic conditions affecting bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons

Approved in European Union as Physical Therapy for:

• Musculoskeletal injuries and conditions
• Postoperative rehabilitation
• Chronic conditions affecting bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons
• Neurological disorders like stroke, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis

Approved in Canada as Physical Therapy for:

• Knee pain due to osteoarthritis
• Musculoskeletal injuries and conditions
• Postoperative rehabilitation
• Chronic conditions affecting bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A pilot study involving 15 orthopedic trauma patients showed that a Virtual Reality physical therapy (VR-PT) program was well-received, with an average enjoyment rating of 7.5 out of 10, indicating high patient engagement.

Patients expressed a strong interest in participating in further trials of VR-PT, suggesting that this innovative approach could improve access to physical therapy for those unable to attend traditional in-office sessions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual reality-based physical therapy for patients with lower extremity injuries: feasibility and acceptability. Reilly, CA., Greeley, AB., Jevsevar, DS., et al.[2022]

The HTC VIVE virtual reality system, when configured for portability, showed a mean translational error of below 4.9 cm during motion tracking, which is higher than research-grade systems but still valid for tracking aggregate movement in physical therapy.

The advantages of using the portable VIVE system, such as increased accessibility for patients in various therapy settings, may outweigh its limitations in precision, making it a useful tool for both inpatient and outpatient physical therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobilization and calibration of the HTC VIVE for virtual reality physical therapy. Hemphill, S., Nguyen, A., Rodriguez, ST., et al.[2022]

A study involving 29 children with cerebral palsy showed that virtual reality-based training (VRBT) significantly improved balance and manual ability compared to traditional rehabilitation methods, with notable improvements in the study group for participation, motivation, cooperation, and satisfaction.

This research is pioneering in exploring VRBT for postoperative rehabilitation in children with cerebral palsy, indicating its potential as an effective therapeutic tool, although further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual reality based therapy for post operative rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy. Sharan, D., Ajeesh, PS., Rameshkumar, R., et al.[2012]

Virtual reality-assisted therapy (VRAT) significantly improves vestibular symptoms in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders compared to conventional vestibular physical therapy (CVPT), as shown by various measures including the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI).

While VRAT shows promise for enhancing rehabilitation outcomes, particularly for peripheral disorders, the high variability in study results indicates a need for further research with larger sample sizes to better understand its effectiveness across different vestibular conditions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can Virtual Reality-Assisted Therapy Offer Additional Benefits to Patients With Vestibular Disorders Compared With Conventional Vestibular Physical Therapy? A Meta-analysis. Chu, HY., Song, N., Zhou, ZR., et al.[2023]

The INOVATE-Pain consortium, consisting of 16 experts, aims to improve the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in treating pediatric chronic pain by establishing best practices for designing and evaluating these interventions.

Key recommendations include fostering partnerships among stakeholders, standardizing outcome measures for evaluation, and ensuring access to resources, all of which are essential for developing effective VR-based pain management solutions for children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Leveraging Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality to Combat Chronic Pain in Youth: Position Paper From the Interdisciplinary Network on Virtual and Augmented Technologies for Pain Management. Logan, DE., Simons, LE., Caruso, TJ., et al.[2021]

In a study involving 41 participants aged 6 to 80, physical therapy supplemented with virtual reality led to significantly more movement (1120.88 m) compared to traditional physical therapy alone (672.65 m), indicating enhanced engagement and effectiveness of the virtual reality approach.

Both patients and physical therapists reported satisfaction with the virtual reality-enhanced therapy, suggesting it is a promising tool for improving physical therapy outcomes without increasing perceived exertion.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual Reality Augments Movement During Physical Therapy: A Pragmatic Randomized Trial. Hemphill, S., Rodriguez, S., Wang, E., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10834096/

Use of Virtual Reality in Physical Therapy as an ... These VR systems have found extensive use in physical therapy, rehabilitation, research, and assessment.

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05876156

iMOVE: Virtual Reality PT Versus Traditional PT This pragmatic, crossover, randomized controlled study evaluates the efficacy of virtual reality assisted physical therapy (VRPT) for improving the physical ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031940616300645

Effectiveness of virtual reality rehabilitation for children and ... A variety of treatments are available and appear to be effective, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, medications, surgery and orthotic devices.

4. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/387459988_Exploring_the_Use_of_Virtual_Reality_in_Pediatric_Physical_Therapy_Enhancing_Motor_Skills_Engagement_and_Rehabilitation_Outcomes

Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality in Pediatric Physical ... Case studies and research findings demonstrate VR's efficacy in enhancing motor skills across different pediatric populations, with specific ...

5. biomedgrid.com biomedgrid.com/fulltext/volume24/virtual-reality-in-physical-therapy-and-rehabilitation-a-review.003201.php

Virtual Reality in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation This study provides a review of the use of the VR in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. Literature Review. Gaming as Biofeedback.

6. benchmarkpt.com benchmarkpt.com/blog/virtual-reality-physical-therapy-revolutionized-in-2025/

Virtual Reality: Physical Therapy Revolutionized in 2025 VR uses headsets and sensors to create simulated environments, transforming passive therapy into active, engaging, and goal-oriented tasks.

7. canchild.ca canchild.ca/resources/87-an-update-on-the-use-of-virtual-reality-technology-to-improve-movement-in-children-with-physical-impairments/

An Update On The Use Of Virtual Reality Technology To ... Virtual reality is being explored to improve movement in children with impairments, but current evidence is limited and the field is still developing.

8. journals.plos.org journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0320215

Clinician perspectives on virtual reality use in physical therapy ... The purpose of this study was to identify the current usage and perspectives of VR in physical rehabilitation among physical therapy professionals.