Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy Can Be Improved by Electrical Stimulation

Abstract

Electrical stimulation (ES) of proximal muscles during gaittraining has not previously been reported as a managementoption for improving muscle tone and gait in children withspastic diplegic. The purpose of the study was to investi- gate the effects of simultaneous continuous ES of both hipabductors and adductors during walking on muscle tone,knee alignment and gait characteristics in children withspastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Three groups of chil- dren participated in this project: the study group, consistingof 17 ambulant children with spastic diplegic CP; a controlgroup of 15 ambulant children with spastic diplegic CP; andanother control group, with 17 healthy children. The studygroup underwent two different ES management programs.The first was a one-time trial management program thatinvolved ongoing ES of bilateral hip adductor and abductor muscles at the sensory and motor levels, respectively, dur- ing walking for a predetermined distance. The second ESprogram lasted for one week and involved 15 minutes of on- going ES of bilateral hip adductor and abductor muscles atthe sensory and motor levels, respectively, during walkingfor three sessions a day for the week. The data of the studywere analyzed using repeated measures and multivarianceANOVA. Both ES programs significantly improved gait performance (p < 0.001), muscle tone (p < 0.01) and knee position of the study group. ES to the hip adductor and abductor muscles simultaneously at the sensor and motor levels,respectively, improved gait in children with spastic diplegicCP. Such management program can potentially be used asadapted physical exercise at school to improve ambulationof Children with CP