Effect of home-based training focused on increasing maximum step length in walking function of children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Background: Developing a home-based training (HBT) program can increase gait performance in children with cerebral palsy (CP) who receive insufficient clinical or institutional-based therapy.

Objective: To investigate the effect of HBT program focusing on increasing maximum step length (MSL) in walking function of children with spastic diplegic CP.

Methods: Although this was a randomized controlled trial, the subjects had known own allocation. To determine the change as the effect, MSL variables and step length at the end of the HBT program (second assessment, 8 weeks) and 8 weeks after the HBT program (third assessment, 16 weeks) were subtracted from those at baseline (0 week).

Results: MSL (p = .005) and step length during the walk assessment (p = .021) significantly increased in the experimental group compared with those in the control group. For step length, the effect size was 1.06 (95% confidence interval [0.14, 1.97]). The scores (0 to 16 weeks) of MSL (p = .019) and step length (p = .018) in the experimental group significantly changed compared with those in the control group.

Conclusion: MSL and step length improved after training and persisted 8 weeks after the HBT program. These findings can be useful for effective training practices in a home environment.

Keywords:

• Cerebral palsy
• gait
• home-based training
• step length

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Minoru Kimoto

Minoru Kimoto is an assistant professor at Akita University Graduate School and a physical therapist at Akita Prefectural Center on Development and Disability. His work focuses on gait analysis in children with cerebral palsy.

Ryo Yonetsu

Ryo Yonetsu is a professor at Kanagawa University of Human Services. His work focuses on developing ankle foot orthosis for children with cerebral palsy and patient after stroke.

Kyoji Okada

Kyoji Okada is a professor at Akita University Graduate School and an orthopedist. His research interests include osteosarcoma and motion analysis.

Wataru Horioka

Wataru Horioka, prior to completing master’s degree at Akita University Graduate School, is a physical therapist at Akita Prefectural Center on Development and Disability. His work focuses on musculoskeletal ultrasound observation of the foot in children with cerebral palsy.

Takanori Kondou

Takanori Kondou is a physical therapist at Akita Prefectural Center for Rehabilitation and Psychiatric Medicine. His research interests include post rehabilitation of orthopedic surgery for children with cerebral palsy.

Makoto Sasaki

Makoto Sasaki is an associate professor at Akita University Graduate School.

Hitoshi Sakamoto

Hitoshi Sakamoto is the president of Akita Prefectural Center on Development and Disability and an orthopedist. His research interests include post rehabilitation of orthopedic surgery for children with cerebral palsy.