The effects of balance board on the balance parameters in five children with spastic cerebral palsy

Issue title: Cerebral Palsy

Guest editors: Rachel Byrne, Deborah Gaebler-Spira, Michael Green and Heakyung Kim

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Baniasad, Mina^a | Asheghan, Mahsa^{b; *} | Ziya, Mohammadreza^b | Holisaz, Mohammad Taghi^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran | [b] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Mahsa Asheghan, M.D. Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences. Mollasadra Street, Tehran, Postal code: 1435915371, Iran. Tel.: +98 21 88040060; Fax: +98 21 81262112; E-mail: m_asheghan@bmsu.ac.ir.

Abstract: PURPOSE:This study evaluated the effects of an instrumented balance board on the balance parameters in children with spastic cerebral palsy by carrying out a pilot single-group pre-post clinical trial. METHODS:Five children aged 5 to 15 years with spastic diplegia and a Gross Motor Function Classification System level of I or II were included. All participants attended 20 sessions with an instrumented balance board, 45 minutes per session, 3 times a week for 7 weeks. The main outcome measures included the center of pressure excursion, velocity, and overshoot during quiet standing with open and closed eyes. The assessments were performed in the mediolateral and anteroposterior directions at pre- and one week post-intervention. RESULTS:Non-parametric tests showed that the excursion did not change significantly except in the mediolateral direction with eyes closed (p < 0.05). The velocity of the center of pressure improved in both directions and eye conditions (p < 0.05). Also, the maximum velocity decreased with eyes open (mediolateral, anteroposterior, and total) (p < 0.05), while the change was not significant with the eyes closed. The overshoot measurements did not change significantly. CONCLUSION:It is recommended to consider balance board training for improving balance parameters in children with cerebral palsy.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy, spastic, balance board, balance, center of pressure, rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/PRM-201526

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 149-156, 2023