Effect of simultaneous proprioceptive-visual feedback on gait of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the effect of simultaneous proprioceptive - visual training on gait parameters in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy BACKGROUND: Feedback is a very crucial feature of motor control via motor learning. The visual and proprioceptive information are important regulatory mechanisms of motor control, functional activities and participation in daily activities in children with cerebral palsy METHOD: gait parameters of 30 spastic diplegic children (age range 4-6 years) were evaluated before and after treatment by Tekscan’s Walkway Pressure system. They were randomly and equally assigned into two groups (study and control). All children received regular therapeutic exercise program for one hour. In control group walked for 30 minutes without feedback, while those in study group walked for 30 minutes with proprioceptive-visual feedback. Duration of treatment was 3 times/week for 8 successive weeks RESULTS: There were significant differences after treatment in spatial parameters and temporal parameters of both groups with more improvement in study group than control one, and insignificant difference in kinetic gait parameters CONCLUSION: the simultaneous proprioceptive - visual training might improve spatial and temporal gait parameters with no effect on kinetic gait parameters of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.