Smania, N. et al “Improved Gait After Repetitive Locomotor Training in Children with Cerebral Palsy.” Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2011;90: p.137-149. (2)
In this randomized controlled trial, 18 ambulatory children with diplegic or tetraplegic cerebral palsy were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group received 30 minutes of repetitive locomotor training with an applied technology (Gait Trainer GT I) plus 10 minutes of passive joint mobilization and stretching exercises and the control group received 40 minutes of conventional physiotherapy for a total of 10 treatment sessions over a 2-wk period. The experimental group showed significant 1 month post-treatment improvement on the 10-min walk test, 6-min walk test, hip kinematics, gait speed, and step length while no significant changes in performance parameters were observed in the control group.