Optimal frequency of physical therapy in young children with cerebral palsy: a retrospective pilot study

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To determine the optimal frequency of physical therapy (PT) in young children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods

Twenty-three children (mean age, 47.30 ± 31.95 months) with CP who had undergone both low- and high-frequency PT in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic were analyzed retrospectively. The Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) score was assessed before and after low- and high-frequency PT.

Results

The high-frequency PT group showed statistically significant improvements of GMFM-88 compared to the low-frequency PT group. In the high-frequency PT group, the improvement in total GMFM-88 scores was greater in children below 36 months of age than in children above 36 months of age. Moreover, the ambulatory group showed greater improvement compared to the non-ambulatory group during high-frequency PT.

Conclusions

High-frequency PT might benefit gross motor function in children with CP up to 36 months of age. High-frequency PT resulted in improved standing and gait function in the ambulatory group.

KEYWORDS:

• Cerebral palsy
• GMFM-88
• high-frequency physical therapy
• optimal age
• optimal frequency

Acknowledgments

The authors have stated they have no interests that might be perceived as posing a conflict or bias.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.