Virtual reality walking practice at home for children with long-term illnesses

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for children and teenagers aged 6 to 17 with cerebral palsy, a neuromuscular disease, or overweight/obesity, to try a walking program at home with virtual reality.

Age

6 to 17 years

Sex

All sexes can join.

Disease stage

Cerebral palsy with GMFCS level II or III. Neuromuscular disease (spinal muscular atrophy type 3, Duchenne disease, congenital myopathy or Charcot Marie Tooth) with Walton grade 2 to 6 or Vignos grade 3 to 7. Overweight or obesity with BMI above the IOTF-25 percentile.

Earlier treatment

Must have been in a care program for their chronic condition for at least 6 months. Cannot have had surgery, botulinum toxin injections in the legs or intensive therapy in the last 3 months.

Main reasons for not taking part

• Weight over 100 kg (220 lb)
• Surgery in the last 3 months
• Botulinum toxin injections in the legs or intensive therapy in the last 3 months
• Another non-routine treatment program planned within 5 months
• Insufficient understanding of French

The registry criteria, word for word

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

• Are you between 6 and 17 years old?YesNo

What the trial wants to find out

Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of congenital or acquired chronic diseases in children has risen, affecting between 10 and 30% of them, or at least 100,000 children in France. Pathologies such as cerebral palsy (CP), neuromuscular diseases (NMD), obesity or congenital heart disease impact physical health by causing musculoskeletal, respiratory or cardiovascular deficiencies. These limitations influence their ability to participate in daily activities, affecting their quality of life and that of their families.To minimize these impacts, motor rehabilitation programs focusing on physical activity are proposed, but their effectiveness requires prolonged practice. However, these specific programs, often delivered in remote specialized centers, are difficult to access. Home programs have been developed to overcome these constraints. They enable children, with the support of their parents, to carry out therapeutic activities at home. Although their feasibility has been demonstrated, their effectiveness is relative. A multitude of protocols and tools have been tested, with no harmonization of practices.To support the implementation of home-based programs for children with CP or obesity, virtual reality has already been used, mainly on the basis of commercial solutions. This solution is therefore feasible and has proved relatively effective.With this in mind, and based on the user experience of children, parents and professionals, the investigators have initially co-developed with the French company EzyGain a connected treadmill specifically adapted to pediatric needs and the requirements of home programs. The AMY treadmill is a compact treadmill with on-board sensors and a safety system, communicating with a tablet application and a virtual reality headset.Taking into account the opportunities offered by this new technology, as well as building on the effects and features already known from home programs, the investigators have developed a new modality for home programs focusing on walking for children with CP, MNM and obesity, the EMMVIES program. The crucial step now is to investigate the feasibility, tolerance and clinical effects of this EMMVIES program.

The group in the trial

• EMMVIES programTreatment being tested

  Evaluate the feasibility of the home training program.