Physical Therapy Approaches To Improve Gait In Cerebral Palsy- A Review

Review Article
Elanchezhian C and SwarnaKumari P
DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2018.0902.1681
Subject: 
science
KeyWords: 
Cerebral Palsy, Physical Therapy, Gait, Treadmill Training.
Abstract: 

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common lifelong disability affecting motor development. Abnormal gait is a common problem in children with CP. These children are at great risk of deterioration in their walking ability as they mature. It is essential to monitor the patient and perform gait analysis before and after an intervention. Children with CP exhibit impaired gait due to diminished cortex excitability, excessive muscle weakness, abnormal joint kinematics, and diminished postural reactions. Recent advances in basic and clinical neuroscience give hope that the implementation of effective functional therapies based on enhanced activity will be crucial in improving the level of functioning in children with CP. Many treatment modalities have been developed in the past decade, depending on the age of the child and the nature and severity of their limited walking ability. Combination with gait and balance training had repercussions in the form of improvements in gait velocity, stride length, step length variability, and balance. The provision and integration of physical therapy, medical and orthopaedic surgery management focused primarily on the lower extremities.