Effects of Exergaming on Physical Function and Rehabilitation Adherence in Pediatric Oncology: Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32635/2176-9745.RBC.2025v71n2.4996Keywords:
Child Care, Exergaming, Rehabilitation, Cancer Survivors, Systematic ReviewAbstract
Introduction: Children with cancer, and even cancer survivors, tend to present some immediate or delayed physical impairments related to the disease or its treatment. Exergaming can be a promising tool to improve the physical fitness and quality of life of pediatric oncology patients and facilitate rehabilitation adherence. Objective: To investigate the effects of exergaming on physical function, rehabilitation adherence, and quality of life in pediatric oncology patients. Method: Systematic review based on PRISMA and registered in PROSPERO. The search was conducted in the PEDro, MedLine/PubMed, LILACS, Cochrane Library, and SciELO databases, with no year/language restrictions, including only randomized clinical trials. The methodological quality of the selected articles was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the risk of bias was evaluated using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Results: Four articles with good methodological quality and concerns regarding the risks of bias were included. The total sample consisted of 163 participants, aged between 3 and 17 years old. One of the studies that investigated motor performance observed a significant improvement in body coordination, while two other studies found no differences in this outcome. Another study observed a significant improvement in fatigue and functional capacity after the intervention. Adherence was considered good in the exergaming group in two studies. Conclusion: Evidence shows that exergaming has good adherence and may be beneficial for improving exercise tolerance and cancer-related fatigue in children with cancer and survivors, although its effects on motor performance are uncertain.
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