Development and pilot testing of a mobile application for home-based exercise in children with cerebral palsy: A pilot pre-post study
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Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a permanent neurological disorder characterized by motor impairments and secondary complications such as joint contractures. Physical therapy and regular home-based exercise are essential for improving functional outcomes. Mobile applications are increasingly utilized to support these interventions by offering accessible platforms for health information and facilitating independent practice.
Objective: This study aimed to develop a mobile application for home-based exercises and to conduct a preliminary evaluation of its feasibility and potential utility by comparing pre- and post-intervention Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66) scores in children with cerebral palsy.
Methods: A non-randomized quasi-experimental pre–post pilot study design was employed. Eleven children with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System; GMFCS levels I–V; aged 2–15 years) participated. Children and their caregivers received the Nooja mobile application and were instructed to complete the prescribed exercises daily for a continuous period of one month. The primary outcome, motor function, was assessed using GMFM-66.
Results: A paired sample t-test indicated a statistically significant increase in GMFM-66 scores after the intervention (p=0.015), with a mean increase of 2.34 points.
Conclusion: Mean GMFM-66 scores increased after one month of mobile application use, suggesting preliminary feasibility and potential utility as a supportive tool for gross motor practice in children with cerebral palsy. Larger randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm effectiveness and inform future rehabilitation strategies. The findings should be interpreted with caution due to the pilot pre–post study design
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