Article

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of additional gait trainer assisted walking
exercises on walking performance in children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy.
DESIGN: A randomized controlled study. Setting: Paediatric physical therapy
outpatient clinic. SUBJECTS: Thirty spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsied children
of both sexes (10-13 years -
19 girls and 11 boys).
METHODS: Children were
randomly assigned into two equal groups; experimental and control groups.
Participants in both groups received a traditional physical therapy exercise
programme. Those in the experimental group received additional gait trainer based
walking exercises which aimed to improve walking performance. Treatment was
provided three times per week for three successive months. MAIN MEASURES:
Children received baseline and post-treatment assessments using Biodex Gait
Trainer 2 assessment device to evaluate gait parameters including: average step
length, walking speed, time on each foot (% of gait cycle) and ambulation index.
RESULTS: Children in the experimental group showed a significant improvement as
compared with those in the control group. The ambulation index was 75.53+/-7.36
(11.93 +/- 2.89 change score) for the experimental group and 66.06 +/- 5.48 (2.13
+/- 4.43 change score) for the control group (t = 3.99 and P = 0.0001). Time of
support for the affected side was 42.4 +/- 3.37 (7 +/- 2.20 change score) for the
experimental group and 38.06 +/- 4.63 (3.33 +/- 6.25 change score) for the
control group (t = 2.92 and P = 0.007). Also, there was a significant improvement
in step length and walking speed in both groups.
CONCLUSION: Gait trainer
combined with traditional physiotherapy increase the chance of improving gait
performance in children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy.

Langue : ANGLAIS