scholarly journals Therapeutic effects of a horse riding simulator in children with cerebral palsy

2011 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 799-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Beatriz Silva Borges ◽  
Maria José da Silva Werneck ◽  
Maria de Lourdes da Silva ◽  
Lenora Gandolfi ◽  
Riccardo Pratesi

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of horse ridding simulator on the sitting postural control of children with spastic diplegia. METHOD: Forty children were randomly divided in a group using the simulator (RS) and a group performing conventional physical therapy (CT). FScan/Fmat equipment was used to register maximal displacement in antero-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) directions with children in sitting position. At the pre and post intervention stage both groups were classified according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and, after intervention, by the AUQEI questionnaire (Autoquestionnaire Qualité de vie Enfant Image). RESULTS: Comparison between groups disclosed statistically significant pos-intervention improvement both in the AP (p<0.0001) as in the ML (p<0.0069) direction in the RS group. CONCLUSION: The horse ridding simulator produced significant improvement in the postural control of children in sitting position, additionally showing a higher motor functionality and a better acceptance of the therapeutic intervention.

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (7) ◽  
pp. 861-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mijna Hadders-Algra ◽  
Jolanda C van der Heide ◽  
Johanna M Fock ◽  
Elisabeth Stremmelaar ◽  
Leo A van Eykern ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose Because it is debatable whether seat surface inclination improves motor function in children with cerebral palsy (CP), the effect of seat surface tilting on postural control and quality of reaching was studied. Subjects The subjects were 58 children with CP aged 2 to 11 years (34 with unilateral spastic CP, 24 with bilateral spastic CP). Methods During the task of reaching movements, surface electromyographic and kinematic data were recorded for posture and reaching with the dominant arm in 3 sitting conditions: horizontal seat surface, seat surface tilted forward 15 degrees, and seat surface tilted backward 15 degrees. Results In the children with unilateral spastic CP, forward tilting improved postural efficiency and quality of reaching. In the children with bilateral spastic CP, both forward and backward tilting of the seat surface was associated with more postural instability and did not affect the quality of reaching. Discussion and Conclusion The results suggest that, in terms of postural control and quality of reaching, children with unilateral spastic CP benefit from a forward-tilted position and children with bilateral spastic CP benefit from a horizontal sitting position.


1998 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Brogren ◽  
Mijna Hadders-Algra ◽  
Hans Forssberg

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-197
Author(s):  
Mauricio R. Delgado ◽  
Anthony R. Riela ◽  
Janith Mills ◽  
Alan Pitt ◽  
Richard Browne

Objective. The risk of seizure relapse after antiepileptic drug (AED) discontinuation in children has been reported to vary between 6% and 40%. It has been suggested that neurologic deficit and mental retardation are poor prognostic factors for seizure relapse after AED discontinuation. Because epileptic children with cerebral palsy (CP) have neurologic deficits, and many have mental retardation, it is important to know their risk for seizure relapse. Methods. AED treatment was discontinued in 65 children with CP and histories of epilepsy after 2 seizure-free years. All of the patients were followed until they had seizure relapses or for at least 2 years without seizures after AEDs were stopped. Multiple factors were analyzed for possible association with seizure relapse. Results. Twenty-seven patients (41.5%) had seizure relapses. Patients with spastic hemiparesis had the highest relapse rate (61.5%), and those with spastic diplegia had the lowest rate (14.3%). No other factor correlated significantly with the risk of seizure relapse. Conclusions. Discontinuation of AEDs in children with CP can, and should, be practiced when possible after patients have been seizure-free for at least 2 years. AED discontinuation in patients with spastic hemiparesis is significantly more likely to lead to seizure relapse than in patients with other CP types, but no other factor is yet known to increase the chance of relapse.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 11140
Author(s):  
Yun-Huei Ju ◽  
Rong-Ju Cherng

Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have difficulty in managing postural control during functional reaching tasks, although children with different postural control ability are able to come up with different motor solutions to cope with different task demands. This study examined the effect of task constraint on postural control performance in children with cerebral palsy and typical development (TD) in terms of different postural control abilities. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used. Twelve children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (mean age: 107.8 months) and 16 typically developing children (mean age: 110.9 months) participated in this study. Individually, all subjects were seated in a height-adjusted chair and were requested to reach for target(s) located at three different directions (medial, anterior, and lateral). A six-camera Qualisys Motion Capture System was used to capture motion data. Kinematic data in terms of body alignment and angular changes were analyzed. Results: Children with cerebral palsy demonstrated different postural control strategies to complete different reaching tasks compared to typically developing children by preparing postural alignment in advance, coordinating different body orientation movements during reaching after showing difficulty in managing reach medially. Conclusions: Children with cerebral palsy perceive their insufficient ability and prepare their alignment in advance to adapt to the task demanded and decrease the postural challenges of the task. Even though children with cerebral palsy self-generate different motor solutions to reach without falling, these alternative strategies might not be the most efficient adaptation.


Author(s):  
Arūnė Dūdaitė ◽  
Vilma Juodžbalienė

Research background. Virtual reality and visual feedback improve motor performance, motor function and balance, so we want to fnd if it affects the function of legs and balance of children with spastic hemiplegia. Research aim was to establish if the use of virtual reality and visual feedback with traditional physiotherapy improve the function of legs and balance of children with cerebral palsy. Methods. Nine children with cerebral palsy participated in the research. Participants were randomly divided into two groups – virtual reality group (n = 6) and control (n = 3). Virtual reality group practised exergaming and stretching exercises for 10 weeks, twice a week. Control group practiced conventional physiotherapy and stretching exercises for 6 weeks, twice a week. We measured the range of motion of the lower limb, spasticity of the lower limb using Modifed Ashworth’o Scale, static, dynamic balance, trunk coordination using Trunk Impairment Scale at the start and the end of the research, and balance using Pediatric Balance Scale. Results. Virtual reality and visual feedback reduced the spasticity of the lower limb, improved balance and postural control for children with cerebral palsy, but it did not improve the range of motion of the lower limb of children with cerebral palsy. Conclusions. Virtual reality and visual feedback did not improve the range of motion of the lower limb of children with cerebral palsy. Virtual reality and visual feedback reduced spasticity of the lower limb, improved balance and postural control for children with cerebral palsy.Keywords. Cerebral palsy, virtual reality, visual feedback, postural control, muscle architecture.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
IlHyun Son ◽  
GyuChang Lee

Abstract Background: It has been reported the effects of a hinged ankle-foot orthosis on the gait ability of children with cerebral palsy. However, no studies investigated the effects of the dorsiflexion angle of the hinged ankle-foot orthosis on the spatiotemporal gait parameters of children with cerebral palsy. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis the spatiotemporal gait parameters of children with spastic diplegia compared to barefoot and a hinged ankle-foot orthosis.Methods: This study was cross-over design. 10 children with spastic diplegia were walked with barefoot, a hinged ankle-foot orthosis, and a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis. GAITRite was used to collect the spatiotemporal gait parameters including gait velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single leg support, and double leg support. Results: It showed that a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis significantly improved the gait velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single leg support, and double leg support than barefoot and a hinged ankle-foot orthosis (p<.05). Conclusion: The results of this study implied that a 10° dorsiflexion inducing ankle-foot orthosis could improve the gait ability of children with spastic diplegia more than barefoot or a hinged ankle-foot orthosis. High quality future studies will need to examine the effects of hinged ankle-foot orthosis on gait ability according to dorsiflexion angles.


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