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Effect of postural balance training on gait parameters in children with cerebral palsy
Ehab Mohamed Abd El-Kafy1, Heba M Youssr M El-Basatiny
1From the Department of Physical Therapy for Disturbances of Growth and Developmental Disorders in Children and Its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt (EMAE-K, HMYME-B); and Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia (EMAE-K).
Insights
Dynamic postural stability training significantly improved balance and gait in children with cerebral palsy. This method, combined with traditional therapy, offers a valuable approach for enhancing motor function in spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Physical Therapy
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation
- Biomechanical Analysis
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) often impairs balance control and gait, significantly affecting children's mobility and independence.
- Traditional physical therapy programs show benefits, but optimizing outcomes for children with spastic diplegic CP requires exploring adjunct interventions.
- Dynamic postural stability training presents a potential avenue for targeted improvement of motor functions in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of dynamic bilateral postural stability training on balance and gait in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
- To compare the effects of traditional physical therapy alone versus traditional therapy combined with dynamic postural stability training.
Main Methods:
- Thirty children (8-10 years) with spastic diplegic CP were randomized into a control group (traditional therapy) and a study group (traditional therapy + 30 minutes of dynamic postural stability training using Biodex Stability System).
- Intervention lasted 8 weeks, with three sessions per week at stability levels 7 and 8.
- Pre- and post-treatment assessments included Biodex Stability System for stability indices (anteroposterior, mediolateral, overall) and a 3D motion analysis system (pro-reflex) for spatiotemporal gait parameters (step length, velocity, cycle time, stance/swing phase percentage).
Main Results:
- Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in all measured variables post-treatment, including reduced stability indices and enhanced gait parameters.
- The study group (group B) exhibited statistically significant superior improvements across all measured parameters compared to the control group (group A) (P < 0.01).
- Dynamic postural stability training on the Biodex Stability System led to notable gains in balance control and gait function.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic postural stability training, when integrated with conventional physical therapy, is an effective strategy for improving balance and gait in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
- The Biodex Stability System serves as a valuable tool for enhancing rehabilitation outcomes in this pediatric population.
- Further research could explore optimal parameters and long-term effects of this combined therapeutic approach.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dynamic bilateral postural stability on balance control and gait parameters in children with cerebral palsy.
Design:
Thirty children with spastic diplegia (8-10 yrs) were included in this study. The children were randomly assigned into two groups: control group A and study group B. The children in both groups received traditional physical therapy program, 2 hrs per day for group A and 1.5 hrs followed by 30 mins of dynamic postural stability training program using the Biodex Stability System for group B. The treatment frequency was three sessions per week for 8 consecutive weeks on two stability levels (7 and 8). The participating children received pretreatment and posttreatment assessments using the Biodex Stability System to evaluate the stability indices (anteroposterior, mediolateral, and overall) at the two stability levels (7 and 8) and three-dimensional motion analysis system (pro-reflex system) to evaluate the spatiotemporal parameters including step length, velocity, cycle time, stance, and swing phase percentage.
Results:
The children in both groups showed significant improvements in the mean values of all measured variables after treatment indexed by a significant reduction in stability indices and improvement in gait parameters. The results also showed significant differences in all measured parameters in favor of group B, when compared with those in group A (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
Balance training on the Biodex Stability System could be a useful tool in conjunction with traditional physical therapy program for improving balance control and gait functions in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
