| Author: | Ho, Sui-kit Suki |
| Title: | Effect of Body-Weight-Support Treadmill Training (BWSTT) protocol on gait performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) : a pilot study |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations. Cerebral palsied children -- Rehabilitation -- China -- Hong Kong -- Case studies. Treadmill exercise -- Therapeutic use. |
| Department: | Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
| Pages: | x, 59 leaves : col. ill. ; 30 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Purpose: This pilot study aimed to investigate the effect of Body-Weight-Support Treadmill Training (BWSTT) protocol on gait performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: Ten ambulatory children with spastic CP (mean age 9.1 +- 1.7 years; 5 males, 5 females; 8 at GMFCS level I or II, and 2 at GMFCS level III) were evaluated when walking on a BWSTT system at 7 test conditions: 1) at overground walking speed and no BWS or treadmill inclination (GdSpeed/ BWS 0/ Slope 0o), 2) at 30% faster than overground walking speed (Fast 30), 3) at 50% faster than overground speed (Fast 50), 4) at 20% of BWS (BWS 20), 5) at 40% of BWS (BWS 40), 6) at 10 degrees up slope (UpSlope 10o) and 7) at 10 degrees down slope (DownSlope 10o). Spatio-temporal gait parameters were measured and compared across the 7 test conditions. Results: BWSTT at training speed 30% and 50% faster than overground walking speed (i.e.Fast 30 and Fast 50) induced an significant improvement in single leg support time, stance time and cadence toward "normalized values" as that of typically developing children. Fast 50 showed greater improvement in single support time (less affected leg = 13.95%; more affected leg = 9.98%) when compared to Fast 30 (less affected leg = 9.53%; more affected leg = 5.63%). Fast 50 also showed greater improvement in stance time (less affected leg = -4.9%; more affected leg = -7.17%) than Fast 30 (less affected leg = -2.8 and more affected leg = -4.9%). Increase in normalized stride length was noted in both Fast 30 and Fast 50, but only Fast 50 produced significant improvement. However, 3 out of 10 children found hard to walk at Fast 50. Conclusion: Among the 7 BWSTT test protocol, Fast 30 and Fast 50 with no BWS or treadmill inclination resulted in more improvement in gait variables (cadence, normalized stride length, single support time, stance time) in our study. Result of study suggests that faster walking speed is a better training strategy and may have better potential than increasing amount of BWS in enhancing gait performance of ambulatory children with CP. Their carry over effect to overground walking performance, however, required further investigation. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b23025141.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.4 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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