Cerebral Palsy Research

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Discussion Cerebral palsy (CP) is characterized by motor performance and postural challenges appearing early in life. Impaired muscle strength and tonicity are major predictors of poor motor control affecting the ability for children with CP to develop age appropriate milestones including ambulation and other functional skills. Muscle weakness is associated with abnormal bone development (Stevenson, Conaway, Barrington, Cuthill, Worley & Henderson, 2006). The prevention and treatment of muscle weakness and bone fragility are critical areas of research in children with cerebral palsy. The main purpose of this paper was to review and appraise literature related to whole body vibration in children with cerebral palsy and its efficacy in their …show more content…

2010), by increasing muscle strength and bone mineral density (de Zepetnek, 2009). It is important to mention that balance control resides in a combination of musculoskeletal actions; for children with cerebral palsy, disturbances on those areas make the recovering from the effects of slips or trips very challenging due to their instability many times resulting in despicable falls and fractures. A meta – analysis previously conducted, showed that gait and balance challenges are the most predictors of future falls (Henderson, 2002). Scientific researches on the benefits of WBV on fitness and health have been limited and mostly devoted to the adult …show more content…

Two of the tests used parametric statistics while the other two produced analyses from non-parametric methods. The study by Ibraim, Eid, & Moawd (2012) reported improvement in knee extensors muscle strength combine with the decrease spasticity in the same muscle group, increase in walking speed, and improvement in motor function in walking, running and jumping when using WBV. Similar results in walking speed after WBV were obtained from the study conducted by Ruck, Chabot & Rauch (2010) reporting a 38% improvement comparing with no changes in the control group. In the research done by Wren, Lee, Rethlensen, Kay, Drey & Gilsanz (2020) data collected showed increased of cortical bone area in the tibial diaphysis and bone accretion on the tibial midshaft after WBV. Interesting enough, in the only other study addressing bone density directly (Ruck, Chabot & Rauch, 2010) decreased values were obtained when using whole body vibration therapy. In the study by Olama & Thabit (2010) evaluating balance control, improvements in postural stability, balance and coordination where obtained comparing suspension and WBV therapy with post- treatment values in favor of suspension therapy. Two of the studies exhibited negative NNT where the control groups performed better than the experimental groups: one it its totality and the other in one of the variables

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