Adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy have poor mobility, muscle weakness, severe spasticity especially in the lower limbs, and problems such as the inability to walk in a straight line, ankle rotation, and imbalance in walking. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of six weeks of corrective exercises on the walking kinetics of adolescents with cerebral palsy spastic diplegia.
Materials and Methods: fourteen adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy participated in the study, divided into corrective exercise and control groups. The statistical population of this research included all the female students with cerebral palsy in Tehran and the statistical sample of all the cerebral palsy students of “Tavan Khahan” School, of which 14 people were selected in the age range of 7 to 15 years. After examining the medical records, the use of medicines and the student’s health, they entered the test process and exercises.
Zebris Gate analysis treadmill equipped with force plate was used to check the kinetic parameters of walking in the pre-test and post-test at a speed of 1.5 to 2 km/h for 1 minute. The findings of the research were analyzed using S. P. S. S version 26 and ANCOVA statistical test.
Corrective exercises include warming up on the treadmill for 3 to 5 minutes depending on the person's ability, going up and down the step, sitting and getting up from the chair with a vest containing variable weight, exercises to strengthen the muscles of the foot core, strengthening the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles, increasing the proprioception of the feet, strengthening the hip abductors and a number of inactive or passive stretching movements in order to improve the spasticity of the back muscles.
Result: The results of the study indicated a significant effect of 6 weeks of corrective exercises on some parameters of kinetic walking (left leg foot rotation, right leg foot rotation, loading response and swing phase) of children and adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy and diplegia. (P<0.05)
Conclusion: The results showed that corrective exercises improve some walking parameters such as foot rotation, loading response and swing phase in walking in these people and can be effective in improving the gait and improving the life’s quality for people with cerebral palsy.