scholarly journals Early, intensive rehabilitation improves gross motor function after perinatal stroke: results of a randomized controlled trial

Author(s):  
Caitlin Hurd ◽  
Donna Livingstone ◽  
Kelly Brunton ◽  
Allison T Smith ◽  
Monica A Gorassini ◽  
...  

Background: Perinatal stroke injures motor regions of the brain, compromising movement for life. Early, intensive, active interventions for the upper extremity are efficacious, but interventions for the lower extremity (LE) remain infrequent and understudied. Objective: To determine the efficacy of ELEVATE – Engaging the Lower Extremity Via Active Therapy Early – on gross motor function, as compared to usual care. Methods: We conducted a single–blind, two–arm, randomized controlled trial (RCT), with the Immediate Group receiving the intervention while the Delay Group served as a three–month waitlist-control. A separate cohort living beyond commuting distance was trained by their parents with guidance from physical therapists. Participants were 8 months to 3 years old, with MRI–confirmed perinatal ischemic stroke and early signs of hemiparesis. The intervention was play–based, focused on weight–bearing, balance and walking for 1 hour/day, 4 days/week for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the Gross Motor Function Measure–66 (GMFM–66). Secondary outcomes included steps and gait analyses. Final follow–up occurred at age four. Results: Thirty–four children participated (25 RCT, 9 Parent-trained). The improvement in GMFM–66 over 12 weeks was greater for the Immediate than the Delay Group (average change 3.4 units higher) and greater in younger children. Average step counts reached 1370–3750 steps/session in the last week of training for all children. Parent–trained children also improved but with greater variability. Conclusions: Early, activity–intensive LE therapy for young children with perinatal stroke is feasible and improves gross motor function in the short term. Longer term improvement may require additional bouts of intervention.

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qamar Mahmood ◽  
Dr. Shaista Habibullah ◽  
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naveed Babur

Objective: To evaluate the effects of traditional massage (TM) on spasticity and gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: This randomized control trial (RCT) was conducted with recruitment of 86 children (Dropped out= 11; Analyzed= 75) with spastic CP (diplegia) allocated randomly through sealed envelope method to intervention and control group with ages between 2-10 years from September 2016 to August 2018. Both groups received conventional physical therapy (CPT) once daily, five times a week for a period of three months. However, intervention group received TM additionally. Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) were used to evaluate spasticity and gross motor function at the beginning, after six and 12 weeks of intervention. Data were compared and analyzed through SPSS-20. Results: Mean age in control and intervention group was 6.81±2.31 and 7.05±2.47 years respectively. No statistically significant differences in MAS, GMFM and GMFCS scores were found at base line. The children in intervention group showed statistically significant reduction in MAS scores in all four limbs after six and 12 weeks of intervention (p < 0.05) in comparison with the control group. However, GMFM scores and GMFCS levels did not change significantly in intervention group as compared to control group. Conclusion: It is concluded that TM can effectively reduce the spasticity, does not have harmful effects, so can be administered safely by mothers at home and making it suitable for the management of spastic CP. However, in order to achieve better gross motor function, it should be practiced in conjunction with CPT, functional skills and task oriented approaches. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.5.478 How to cite this:Mahmood Q, Habibullah S, Babur MN. Potential effects of traditional massage on spasticity and gross motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy: A randomized controlled trial. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.5.478 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (8) ◽  
pp. 1151-1162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattana Angsupaisal ◽  
Baudina Visser ◽  
Anne Alkema ◽  
Marja Meinsma-van der Tuin ◽  
Carel G.B. Maathuis ◽  
...  

Background It is debatable whether adaptive riding (AR) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) improves postural control and gross motor development. Objective The study aim was to explore the feasibility of an extensive assessment protocol for a randomized controlled trial of therapist-designed adaptive riding (TDAR) in children with CP, with the goals of assessing the effect on child outcomes and evaluating working mechanisms of sitting postural control. Design A pretest-posttest group design with 2 baseline measurements was used. Methods Six children (1 girl, 5 boys; age range=6–12 years, median age=8 years 9 months) with bilateral spastic CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System level III) participated. Outcomes were evaluated 3 times (T0, T1, and T2) at 6-week intervals. T0 and T1 were baseline measurements; between T1 and T2, a TDAR intervention including an integrated program of postural challenge exercises (2 times per week for 1 hour) was applied. The complex protocol included the 88-item Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) and electromyographic (EMG) recording of postural muscle activity during reaching while sitting (EMG recording at T1 and T2 only). Results The protocol was feasible. Median GMFM-88 scores changed from 64.4 at T0 to 66.7 at T1 and from 66.7 at T1 to 73.2 at T2. The change scores for all children exceeded the minimal clinically important difference of the GMFM-88. Five of 6 children showed a decrease in stereotyped top-down recruitment between T1 and T2. Limitations Study limitations included the lack of a control group, small sample size, and potential assessor bias for all but the EMG parameters. Conclusions The feasibility of the complex protocol was established. The data suggested that a 6-week TDAR intervention may improve gross motor function and may reduce stereotyped postural adjustments in children with CP. The limited results warrant replication in a well-powered randomized controlled trial.


2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen G. Fowler ◽  
Loretta M. Knutson ◽  
Sharon K. DeMuth ◽  
Kara L. Siebert ◽  
Victoria D. Simms ◽  
...  

Background Effective interventions to improve and maintain strength (force-generating capacity) and endurance are needed for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Objective This study was performed to examine the effects of a stationary cycling intervention on muscle strength, locomotor endurance, preferred walking speed, and gross motor function in children with spastic diplegic CP. Design This was a phase I randomized controlled trial with single blinding. Setting The interventions were performed in community-based outpatient physical therapy clinics. Outcome assessments were performed in university laboratories. Participants Sixty-two ambulatory children aged 7 to 18 years with spastic diplegic CP and Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I to III participated in this study. Intervention and Measurements Participants were randomly assigned to cycling or control (no-intervention) groups. Thirty intervention sessions occurred over 12 weeks. Primary outcomes were peak knee extensor and flexor moments, the 600-Yard Walk-Run Test, the Thirty-Second Walk Test, and the Gross Motor Function Measure sections D and E (GMFM-66). Results Significant baseline-postintervention improvements were found for the 600-Yard Walk-Run Test, the GMFM-66, peak knee extensor moments at 120°/s, and peak knee flexor moments at 30°/s for the cycling group. Improved peak knee flexor moments at 120°/s were found for the control group only, although not all participants could complete this speed of testing. Significant differences between the cycling and control groups based on change scores were not found for any outcomes. Limitations Heterogeneity of the patient population and intrasubject variability were limitations of the study. Conclusions Significant improvements in locomotor endurance, gross motor function, and some measures of strength were found for the cycling group but not the control group, providing preliminary support for this intervention. As statistical differences were not found in baseline-postintervention change scores between the 2 groups; the results did not demonstrate that stationary cycling was more effective than no intervention. The results of this phase I study provide guidance for future research.


2022 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Suwannika Palee ◽  
Teerada Ploypetch ◽  
Kingkaew Pajareya ◽  
Suttirat Timdang

Background: The multiplicity of interventions for the treatment of cerebral palsy (CP) can cause confusion about which are most suited to certain individuals. Hypothesis is that goal-directed therapy (GDT) can guide integrating therapies to improve clinical outcomes compared with conventional therapy (CT). Method: A prospective, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial was done with 23 children with CP (mean age, 4 years 4 months old; SD 1y4mo), who were divided into groups according to their level of gross motor function: GDT and CT. Both groups received 12 physiotherapy (PT) sessions and advice on daily home programs. The GDT group additionally had a team meeting to set a specific goal, and PT programs were shaped toward that goal. Assessments were done at baseline and after treatments, using the Thai-version Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66), CP-Quality of Life (CP-QOL), caregiver burden, and home program compliance. Results: After the treatments, the GDT group showed significant improvements in GMFM-66, CP-QOL, and caregiver burden, while the CT group revealed improvements in caregiver burden and some domains of the GMFM, including sitting and crawling & kneeling. Comparisons between groups found GDT was more effective than CT in improving GMFM-66 and CP-QOL. Home program compliance was higher in the GDT (69%) than the CT group (42%). Conclusion: GDT demonstrated clear gains for children with CP regarding gross motor function and QOL improvements. Team communication toward a customized goal was crucial, empowering the children and their caregivers to comply with home programs to achieve the set goal.


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