Effects of Whole-body Vibration on Balance in Children With Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Objectives: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of permanent disorders affecting movement and posture due to non-progressive brain disturbances. Spastic CP, the most common type, primarily affects the lower limbs. Children with spastic diplegic CP experience difficulties with balance and walking. Whole-body vibration (WBV) has shown promise in improving balance in various populations; however, its effects on children with spastic diplegic CP have not been well studied. This study aimed to determine the effects of WBV on balance in children with spastic diplegic CP.  Methods: Twenty children with spastic diplegic CP, aged ۶-۱۲ years, were assigned to two groups: Group A and Group B. Group A received WBV combined with therapeutic exercises, while Group B received only therapeutic exercises. Balance was assessed using the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) before and after a six-week intervention.  Results: The pre-test PBS scores were ۳۱.۶۳±۴.۲۷ for the experimental group and ۲۳.۴۰±۲.۰۷ for the control group. Post-test scores were ۳۹.۳۸±۴.۱۴ and ۲۶.۲۰±۲.۳۰ for the experimental and control groups, respectively. Both groups improved significantly, with the experimental group showing greater post-test balance scores than the control group.  Discussion: WBV combined with therapeutic exercises significantly enhances balance in children with spastic diplegic CP, suggesting its effectiveness as a treatment protocol.

کلیدواژه ها:

Balance ، Cerebral palsy (CP) ، Pediatric balance scale ، Spastic diplegic ، Whole-body vibration (WBV)