Lee JH, Sung IY, Yoo JY
The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of strengthening exercises of the lower limbs on improvement of muscle strength and gait function. Participants were diagnosed with spastic diplegic or hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) and verified as grade 2 or 3 of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Participants were divided into an experimental group (n = 9) and a control group (n = 8). The experimental group completed a 5-week strengthening program and the control group took part in conventional physical therapy. Muscle tone and strength of lower limb, Gross Motor Function Measure, lateral step up, squat to stand, and three dimensional gait analysis were tested at pre-training, post-training, and 6 week follow up. Following the intervention, the authors concluded that strengthening exercises could be a useful method to improve gait function in patients with spastic CP.
Disability & Rehabilitation, 2007, 1-6 (e-pub ahead of print)