Virtual Reality in Rehabilitation for Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Narrative Review

Abstract

 Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disorder in childhood, causing persistent motor dysfunction. Rehabilitation seeks to promote functional performance. Virtual Reality (VR) is an innovative technology for repetitive, task-specific motor practice for children with CP. This study aimed to analyze the scientific literature on the use of Virtual Reality in the rehabilitation of motor function, specifically in the domains of balance, gait, and gross motor function, in children with cerebral palsy. The narrative review was structured with a search (August 2025) in the PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane, and LILACS databases. Four clinical trials (2023 - 2025) evaluating VR in 202 children with CP were included. The results demonstrated that VR training provided effectiveness in improving balance, gait parameters, and motor function, surpassing conventional physiotherapy in some outcomes. The findings indicate that VR is an effective and promising intervention for improving balance, gait, and gross motor function in children with CP. However, the current evidence is not robust enough to support its superiority or replacement of established specialized therapies across all domains, and therefore VR should be considered a valuable complementary tool within a structured therapeutic process.