Physical Therapy for Improving Functionality, Gait and Participation in Cerebral Palsy

Summary

Cerebral Palsy is a non-progressive nature lesion of the Central Nervous System, with a wide spectrum of impairments at body structure and function, which has a great impact at activity and participation in the environment. The intensity of participation is influenced by multiple factors, among which independent mobility stands out, through the functional activity of walking. Children and adolescents with Cerebral Palsy present limitations in gait function both at the level of body structure and activity and improving these aspects is one of the main therapeutic objectives in their treatment.

Physical Therapy interventions based on task learning and achieving objectives have proven to be effective in improving functional skills, gait and participation.

Due to COVID-19, interventions have been interrupted or reduced in periodicity. For this reason, it is essential to provide alternatives to Physical Therapy interventions for children and adolescents with Cerebral Palsy. Telehealth may play an important role both in maintaining function and in monitoring individuals, in addition to bringing the Physical Therapist closer to the natural environment of the child / adolescent through digital platforms.

Therefore the aim of this clinical trial is to verify that a Physiotherapy intervention that combines face-to-face sessions with telecare in natural settings is effective in improving the functional activity of walking and participation in the environment of children and adolescents with Cerebral Palsy.

The study population are children and adolescents diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy; ages 6-17 years old. The sample of 50 subjects (25 in each group) will be recruited in care centers for children and adolescents with Cerebral Palsy in Alcalá de Henares.

The outcome variables are: participation in the environment (Spanish version of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment - CAPE), gait speed (10-meter walk test - 10MM), gait endurance (6-minute walk test - 6MM), gross motor function (Spanish version of the Gross Motor Function Measure - GMFM-SP) and static and dynamic balance (Spanish version of the Pediatric Balance Scale - PBS). They will be collected in three moments: baseline assessment (V0); intermediate assessment (V1) at 6 weeks at the end of each group intervention; Final assessment (V2) 3 months after baseline.

Conditions

• Physical Therapy
• Cerebral Palsy
• Therapeutic Education
• Telehealth

Interventions

OTHER

Physical Therapy

FACE-TO FACE SESSIONS: approximately 90 minutes of Goal-directed training (activities for the activation of the muscles of the trunk, pelvis and lower limbs; and training of activities will be carried out in a functional and meaningful context, aimed at specific functional objectives, according to the interests of each participant and agreed with the participants and their families) and gait training on the treadmill for 20 minutes. TELEHEALTH THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: Session 1: Concept and causes of CP, together with the general objectives and guidelines of the program. Session 2: The family-centered model; Sessions 3, 4 and 5: Actions Observation Therapy; Session 6: Program Evaluation.

OTHER

THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION PROGRAM

TELEHEALTH THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION PROGRAM: Session 1: Concept and causes of CP, together with the general objectives and guidelines of the program. Session 2: The family-centered model; Sessions 3, 4 and 5: Actions Observation Therapy; Session 6: Program Evaluation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Alcala

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Soraya Pacheco da Costa, PhD · University Professor Physical Therapy Degree

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Years

Max Age

17 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-02-01

Primary Completion

2023-01-30

Completion

2023-12-31

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations