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Effect of whole-body vibration on abdominal thickness and sitting ability in children with spastic diplegia
Mostafa S Ali1, Heba G Abd El-Aziz1
1Lecturer of physical therapy for pediatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt.
Insights
Whole-body vibration (WBV) significantly improved abdominal muscle thickness and sitting ability in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). This 12-week intervention offers a promising approach for enhancing motor function in pediatric CP.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Biomechanical Engineering
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) often involves reduced muscle mass, impaired function, and mobility issues, particularly in abdominal muscles.
- Children with spastic diplegic CP frequently exhibit poor abdominal muscle activation, impacting core stability and posture.
- Whole-body vibration (WBV) is recognized for its potential to enhance strength and motor skills in various clinical populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of a 12-week whole-body vibration (WBV) intervention on abdominal muscle thickness.
- To assess the impact of WBV on the sitting ability of children diagnosed with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP).
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 30 children (aged 4-6 years) with spastic diplegic CP.
- Participants were divided into a control group (physical therapy) and an experimental group (physical therapy + 10-min WBV, 3x/week for 12 weeks).
- Abdominal muscle thickness was measured via ultrasonography, and sitting ability was assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88).
Main Results:
- The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in the thickness of all four abdominal muscles (external oblique, internal oblique, transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis) compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
- Significant enhancements in sitting ability, as measured by the GMFM-88, were observed in the WBV group compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Whole-body vibration (WBV) serves as a viable therapeutic strategy for enhancing abdominal muscle thickness in children with spastic diplegia.
- WBV intervention shows significant potential for improving sitting ability in pediatric patients with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
Objective:
Reduced muscle and bone mass, improper muscle function, and varying degrees of mobility dysfunctions are the main complications of cerebral palsy (CP). Many children with CP also present with poor abdominal muscle activation. Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a unique approach for enhancing strength and motor abilities in several clinical conditions. This study aimed to determine the influence of a 12-week WBV intervention on the thickness of the abdominal muscles and the sitting ability of children with diplegia.
Methods:
A total of 30 children with spastic diplegic CP (aged 4-6 years) were randomly divided into two groups (control and experimental). The control group received a selected physical therapy program for 1 h, and the study group received WBV training for 10 min in addition to the same selected program for the control group for 3 times/week over a period of 12 weeks. Thereafter, abdominal muscle thickness and sitting ability were measured using ultrasonography and the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88, sitting domain).
Results:
Post treatment values revealed significant improvement in the measured variables in favour of the experimental group (p < 0.05), as there was improvement in the thickness of the four abdominal muscles compared to the control group (external oblique: F = 38.783; internal oblique: F = 99.547; transverse abdominis: F = 111.557, and rectus abdominis: F = 129.940, p < 0.05). Additionally, the study group showed a significantly greater improvement in GMFM-88 values compared to the control group (F = 129.940, p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
WBV can be a viable strategy for improving sitting ability and abdominal muscle thickness among children with spastic diplegia.
