Loaded Gait Training on Gross Motor Function in Cerebral Palsy

Cairo University52 enrolled

Overview

A randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the additional effect loaded gait training to conventional physical therapy program on gross motor function and the knee extensors strength in children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy. Children were divided randomly into two equal groups. The control group received a conventional physical therapy program, while the intervention group received the same program plus loaded gait training. Gross motor functions and knee extensor strength were measured.

A randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the additional effect loaded gait training to conventional physical therapy program on gross motor function and the knee extensors strength in children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP). 52 children with bilateral spastic CP, aged 5 to 7 years, were divided randomly into two equal groups. The control group received a conventional physical therapy program, while the intervention group received the same program plus loaded gait training 3 times per week for an hour for 3 months. Gross motor functions were measured by the Gross Motor Function Measure Scale-88 (GMFM-88); standing and walking domains, while knee extensor strength was measured by a hand-held dynamometer.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

Interventions

Conventional physical therapy programOTHER

This program included active resisted strengthening exercises for pelvis girdle and lower limb muscles, stretching exercises of tight muscles of lower limbs; hip flexors, hamstrings and calf muscle, balance activities from standing and walking and gait training exercises.

Loaded gait trainingOTHER

An extra weight was added around the distal legs during gait training in the intervention group. This weight began at 0.5 kg and was gradually increased every two weeks to a maximum of 2 kg

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 5 YearsMax age: 7 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Age: five to seven years old, classified as levels II and III on the GMFCS. * Spasticity grade from 1+ to 2 based on the Modified Ashworth scale. * Able to understand and follow verbal commands and instructions (with a score above 80 on the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale). Exclusion Criteria: * Genetic or metabolic disorders. * Brain tumours. * Musculoskeletal dysfunction that would interfere with our intervention (e.g. tightness of the posterior knee joint capsule that causes passive knee extension lag, or fixed contracture of the knee joint). * Surgical intervention in the lower limbs within the preceding 12 months. * Botulinum toxin injections in lower limb muscles within the last six months.

Locations (1)

Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University

Giza, Cairo Governorate, Egypt

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Gross motor function

Gross Motor Function Measure Scale-88 (GMFM-88); standing and walking domains.

Time frame: 1 year

knee extensor strength

Knee extensor strength was measured by a hand-held dynamometer.

Time frame: 1 year

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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