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New trial tests virtual reality and electrical zaps to help kids with cerebral palsy use their hands better
NCT ID NCT07311018
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests two new methods to improve hand function in children with cerebral palsy: a virtual reality system called Leap Motion that uses hand-tracking games, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) that uses mild electrical pulses to activate muscles. Thirty children aged 6-15 will first receive standard therapy for 4 weeks, then be randomly assigned to either Leap Motion games or NMES for 8 weeks. The goal is to see which approach better helps with everyday hand tasks like picking up objects or stacking checkers.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and Leap Motion-based virtual reality exercises
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward effective, engaging ways to improve hand function and daily living skills in children with cerebral palsy.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 30 participants. Results may not apply to all children with CP, and the improvements might be modest or not last long-term.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2026
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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6 to 15 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of spastic unilateral or bilateral cerebral palsy based on clinical and MRI findings. * Involvement of the distal upper extremity (wrist and/or fingers). * Aged between 6 and 15 years. * No history of botulinum toxin injection or surgical intervention to the upper extremity within the past 6 months. * Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III. * Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) levels I-III. * Upper extremity spasticity corresponding to 0, 1, or 1+ on the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). * Passive wrist extension limitation not exceeding 10 degrees. * Ability to follow verbal instructions (mental level reported as "normal" or "mild mental retardation" in the medical record). Exclusion Criteria: * Currently participating in a specific hand rehabilitation program. * Presence of visual or hearing impairment. * History of epilepsy. * Presence of chronic, orthopedic, or systemic conditions that may interfere with participation. * GMFCS levels IV or V. * MACS levels IV or V.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Istanbul Medipol University, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department
RECRUITINGIstanbul, Beykoz, 34810, Turkey (Türkiye)
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Two surgeries, one goal: easing crippling muscle tightness in kids
- Can a standardized protocol improve Ankle-Foot orthosis care for children with cerebral palsy?
- Eye-Tracking glasses may reveal how children with cerebral palsy coordinate gaze and hands