BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) allows an intensive gait training in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). There are few evidences on the effectiveness of RAGT in adults with CP. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of RAGT on gross motor function in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP and to compare the effect of RAGT with conventional kinesiotherapy. METHODS: Forty-seven patients (mean age 21.2±5.33 years) with bilateral spastic CP were divided into two groups. Twenty-one patients underwent 20 therapeutic units of RAGT and 26 patients underwent 20 therapeutic units of conventional therapy/training (CON). The following parameters were evaluated before (V1) and after the therapy (V2): dimension A (lying and rolling), B (sitting), C (crawling and kneeling), D (standing), E (walking, running and jumping) of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88). In patients in the experimental RAGT group, these parameters were also evaluated 3–4 months later (V3). RESULTS: Comparing the mean improvements in endpoints in both groups (RAGT vs. CON) after 20 TUs, we observed the statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) and large effect size in all GMFM dimensions and total GMFM improvement in favour of the RAGT group. In RAGT patients, the improvement persisted even 3–4 months after RAGT (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the intensive RAGT regimen is more effective than conventional therapy in terms of improvements in gross motor functions in adolescent and adult patients with bilateral spastic CP.
Background: Spastic cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common type of CP. Up to 80% of all Individuals with cerebral palsy suffer from some degree of spasticity. Spasticity adversely affects muscles and joints of the extremities, causing abnormal movements, and it is especially harmful in growing children.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a syndrome of motor impairment that results from a lesion occurring in the developing brain. The degree of spasticity can vary from mild muscle stiffness to severe, painful, and uncontrollable muscle spasms .Normally; muscles must have enough tone to maintain posture or movement against the force of gravity while at the same time providing flexibility and speed of movement.
Spasticity is a velocity-dependent increase in resistance of a muscle when the muscle is moved passively or stretched. Individuals with spastic CP experience stiffness in affected limbs due to focal muscular hyperactivity, resulting in limited or awkward movements.
In this research work Quasi experimental design was adopted for Pre- assessment of physical and functional status of children with cerebral palsy assessed by appropriate tools and the results discussed in detailed in different sections of the paper.
Neuro-urological disorders and urological complications in adult patients with cerebral palsy. A cohort study about 71 patients