Evaluating the impact of virtual reality game training on upper limb motor performance in children and adolescents with developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review using the ICF framework.
Mohammed Alharbi, Haoyang Du, David Harris and 3 others
PMID 38840217WHAT IT FOUND
Virtual reality games for upper limb skills in children with DCD mostly showed no significant improvement.
However, children consistently reported high enjoyment. The evidence is limited by small, varied studies that rarely targeted upper limbs specifically.
Key findings
01Most included studies reported no significant improvement in upper limb motor performance for children and adolescents with DCD following VR interventions.
02Children and adolescents generally experienced high levels of enjoyment while engaging with VR technology, which may support adherence.
03All included studies used non-immersive VR systems, with no studies evaluating immersive headsets for this population.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The review included only 14 studies, many of which were small pilots or case studies rather than large randomized trials. Most studies did not specifically target upper limb motor performance, often focusing on balance or general coordination instead. Outcome measures were inconsistent, with many using game scores or trial durations that may not accurately reflect clinical motor ability. No studies evaluated immersive VR (headsets), so we cannot say whether more advanced VR technology would yield different results.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The work was supported by non-US government funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high enjoyment scores as evidence that VR improves motor skills. The primary finding is that most studies showed no significant motor improvement, meaning VR is currently an engaging tool but not a proven treatment for upper limb deficits in DCD.