Quantifying selective elbow movements during an exergame in children with neurological disorders: a pilot study.

Only 33 children from one rehabilitation centre were studied, and they were selected because they could sit, understand instructions, and move their elbows, so results may not apply to more severely affected children. Some measures were missing: total strength score for 26, trunk score for 29, cognitive score for 31, and spasticity data for 28. The therapist judgment used as comparator was not standardized, and because the task was bilateral, mirror movements could not be scored. There were no healthy reference values, so it is unclear what score is normal. The game did not become hard enough to change selectivity, so the measure's sensitivity to task demands is uncertain. This was a pilot validation, not a treatment trial; it did not test whether the game improves function.

The study was funded by Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Mäxi Foundation, Clinical Research Priority Program Neurorehabilitation (UZH), and Fondation Gaydoul. The supplied text does not state author conflicts of interest.

Do not read this as evidence that the exergame improves movement or that the elbow selectivity score is ready for clinical use. It was a pilot assessment study in 33 children, with missing data, no healthy reference values, and no comparison against a validated selectivity scale.