Comparison between the Effects of Gait Training on Floor and Treadmill Through Partial Body Weight Support System in Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Gait is one of the most important motor skill require for optimal functioning of every human being. Gaitimpairment is common in cerebral palsy leading to reduce motor ability and impaired balance. The bodyweight support system is a therapeutic intervention technique that provides task specific gait training whichhelps cerebral palsy children by facilitating walking constraints. Research on gait training using PBWSS hasbeen done in the past but none of them highlighted the importance of walking surface.Aim and Objectives:To compare the effect of PBWSS on gait function in floor versus treadmill set up.Methodology: Subjects areselected with due fulfilment of selection criteria, 30 spasticcerebral palsy children divided into two groups.Group A(n=15) was given conventional therapy for 45 minutes/day and gait training with PBWSS for 15minutes/day on treadmill for 6 days in a week for 4 weeks and group B was given conventional therapy for45 minutes/day and gait training with PBWSS for 15 minutes/day on floor for 6 days in week for 4 weeks.Cadence, stride length and GMFCS were taken as outcome measure.Results: All subjects were in the meanrange of 6.33±0.81 in group A and 6.73±0.88 in group B. Both group showed positive difference in valuesof cadence, stride length and GMFM. However, ground is more significant than treadmill.Conclusion: Thestudy concluded that a spastic CP child who has undergone intensive gait training with PBWSS on floor hasbetter beneficiary effect than PBWSS with treadmill training.