EFFECT OF MULTI-DIRECTIONAL PERTURBATION TRAINING IN COMBINATION WITH RAGT ON HUMAN GAIT, BALANCE, AND PELVIC MUSCLE ACTIVATION IN CEREBRAL PALSY CHILDREN

Abstract

Cerebralِ Palsyِ (CP)ِ isِ aِ neurologicalِ disorderِ characterizedِ byِ motorِ impairmentsِ affectingِ gait,ِ balance,ِ andِ pelvicِ muscleِ activation.ِ Thisِ pilotِ studyِ aimsِ toِ investigateِ theِ effectsِ ofِ multi-directionalِ perturbationِ trainingِ combinedِ withِ robotic-assistedِ gaitِ trainingِ (RAGT)ِ onِ gaitِ parameters,ِ balanceِ control,ِ andِ pelvicِ muscleِ activationِ inِ childrenِ withِ CP.ِ Aِ totalِ ofِ 3ِ subjectsِ diagnosedِ withِ twoِ differentِ typesِ ofِ CPِ includingِ Spasticِ Diplegicِ andِ Spasticِ Dyskineticِ wereِ includedِ inِ thisِ study.ِ Theseِ participantsِ areِ undergoingِ aِ comprehensiveِ interventionِ comprisingِ 2-3ِ sessionsِ overِ aِ 4-weekِ period.ِ Eachِ sessionِ integratesِ multi-directionalِ perturbationِ trainingِ andِ RAGTِ techniques.ِ Objectiveِ measuresِ andِ standardizedِ assessmentsِ areِ employedِ toِ evaluateِ gaitِ parameters,ِ balanceِ controlِ andِ pelvicِ muscleِ activation.ِ Earlyِ findingsِ suggestِ thatِ theseِ childrenِ haveِ gaitِ instabilityِ andِ lackِ ofِ equalِ activationِ ofِ musclesِ ofِ pelvisِ andِ presentsِ withِ balanceِ problemsِ indicatedِ byِ lowِ scores.ِ Theِ interventionِ aimsِ toِ addressِ theseِ problemsِ byِ targetingِ theseِ deficits.ِ However,ِ smallِ sampleِ sizeِ andِ shortِ durationِ ofِ theِ studyِ willِ limitِ theِ generalizabilityِ ofِ theِ results.ِ Furtherِ research,ِ withِ largerِ sampleِ sizeِ andِ longerِ follow-upِ periodsِ isِ warrantedِ toِ validateِ theseِ findingsِ andِ elucidateِ theِ underlyingِ mechanismsِ ofِ improvement.ِ Overall,ِ thisِ pilotِ studyِ willِ provideِ evidenceِ supportingِ theِ feasibilityِ andِ potentialِ ofِ incorporatingِ multi- directionalِ perturbationِ trainingِ withِ RAGTِ intoِ rehabilitationِ programsِ forِ childrenِ withِ CP.ِ Byِ targetingِ multipleِ aspectsِ ofِ motorِ functionِ simultaneously,ِ thisِ integratedِ approachِ willِ haveِ potentialِ toِ improveِ gait,ِ balance,ِ andِ pelvicِ muscleِ activation,ِ ultimatelyِ enhancingِ theِ functionalِ mobilityِ andِ qualityِ ofِ lifeِ ofِ childrenِ withِ CP.