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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06964386

Effect of Specially Designed Balance Board on Standing Balance in Children With Diplegic Cererbral Palsy

This was done to:

1. To determine the effect of a specially designed balance board on balance ability. 2. To determine the effect of the traditional balance training program on balance ability. 3. To compare between the effect of a specially designed balance board and the traditional balance training program on balance ability.

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Key information

Conditions

Balance Board Brain Damage, Chronic Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cerebral Palsy Diplegic Cerebral Palsy Nervous System Diseases Standing Balance

Age range

4 year–8 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

out-patient clinic, faculty of physical therapy, Cairo university

Cairo, Egypt

About this study

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience abnormal posture, loss of motor control, and poor trunk control, leading to limitations in daily activities. Improving balance abilities is crucial for maintaining equilibrium in sensory environments. Vestibular stimulation can help develop feed-forward mechanisms and new functional skills. This study aims to improve balance abilities in children with diplegic CP, explore the impact of balance boards on vestibular and hand function, and assist mothers in their child's improvement.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Their ages ranged from 4 to 8 years old.
  • The degree of spasticity ranged from grade 1 or 1+ according to Modified Ashworth Scale
  • They were at level I or II on gross motor function classification scale.
  • They were able to follow verbal command or instructions.

Exclusion criteria

Children were excluded if they had one of the following :

  • Fixed deformities of lower limbs.
  • Visual or auditory problems.
  • History of surgical interference in lower limbs less than six months.
  • Botulinum toxin injections to the lower limb during the previous 4 months.
  • Mental retardation.
  • Fixed deformity

Treatment and study plan

The traditional physical therapy rehabilitation exercises

Other

It included 30 minutes of exercises as:

  • Incorporated stretching (adductors, calf, and hamstring muscles)
  • Range of motion for hip, knee, and ankle joints.
  • Core stability exercises.
  • climbing stairs and weight-bearing activities for strengthening, such as sit-to-stand and attaining standing position by half kneeling

balance training on traditional balance board

Other

Balance training included: - Side stepping - Stepping backward - Changing the center of gravity in one-foot balance.

program on special form of balance board

Other

Standing holding on the sticks of balance board (first by two sticks, then graduated by one stick).

2- Changing the grasp of hand on sticks (reciprocal catching the sticks by right and left hand).

3- Stride standing on balance board. 4- Make exercises advanced by remove sticks and throwing the ball. 5- All previous exercises do with eye closed and eye opened

Primary outcomes

  1. assessment of degree of spasticity

    Time frame: at baseline and after 3 months

    Assessment of tone involves the clinician passively moving the patient's joints slowly and quickly and rating the degree of resistance felt to rapid stretch, typically as increased or decreased relative to a presumed normal (Hugos and Cameron, 2019). Only spastic diplegic children with grade 1 and 1+ will be included in the study

Secondary outcomes

  1. Assessment of change of gross motor function level

    Time frame: at baseline and after 3 months

    This study will involve children with diplegic cerebral palsy at level II, who can walk, climb stairs, and perform gross motor skills like running and jumping. They will be allowed to engage in functional activities without interruption from caregivers or therapists. The study will record their activities using gross motor function classification system, taking about 10 minutes. Children with level II may struggle with long distances, balancing, and uneven terrain, and may require assistance with physical assistance or wheeled mobility.

  2. assessment of change of balance

    Time frame: at baseline and after 3 months

    it is an electronic balance board with HUMAC software on a laptop. Calibration was performed according to manufacturer guidelines. Participants stood with hands by their sides, without assisted devices. A sight target was taped to the wall. Participants stood quietly for one minute before testing.

  3. assessment of change of pediatric balance

    Time frame: at baseline and after 3 months

    The pediatric balance scale is a tool designed for children and adolescents aged five to 15 years to assess their static and dynamic balance. It consists of 14 items with scores ranging from 0 to 4, with a maximum score of 56. The scale has test-retest and interrater reliability of 0.998 and 0.997 in school-aged children with mild to moderate motor impairment. It requires minimal specialized equipment, such as an adjustable seat, chair, stopwatch, footrest, eraser, tape measure, and child-sized foot molds.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Cairo University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2024
First posted
May 9, 2025
Registry last updated
May 9, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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