Body Weight Support Treadmill Training for Children With Developmental Delay Who Are Ambulatory
Leah Lowe1, Amy Gross McMillan, Charlotte Yates
1Physical Therapy Department (Drs Lowe and Yates), University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas; Department of Physical Therapy (Dr McMillan), East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina; Department of Neurobiology (Dr Yates), Center for Translational Neuroscience, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Purpose:
To examine the effect of body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) on gait and gross motor skill development in children (2-5 years old) with developmental delay who are ambulatory.
Methods:
Twenty-four subjects (12 control and 12 BWSTT) were enrolled in this randomized control trial. All subjects continued to receive physical therapy. Subjects were tested at baseline, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and at 6 weeks after completion of BWSTT. Outcomes were assessed using the 10-m walk test and Gross Motor Function Measure-D and E.
Results:
Significant improvements were seen in gait velocity and gross motor skill attainment. With positive interactions in both the 10-m walk test and Gross Motor Function Measure-E, the BWSTT group as compared with the control group demonstrated functional gains in gait velocity and gross motor skills, P = .033 and .017, respectively.
Conclusions:
A 6-week high-intensity BWSTT program can improve gait velocity and influence functional gains.
