Effect of Core Stability Exercises on Hand Functions in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of core stability exercises on hand functions in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. METHODS: Fifty-two children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy ranging in age from 6 years to 8 years were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned to two (control and study) groups. The control group received the selected physiotherapy exercises, and the study group received the same selected physiotherapy exercise program and core stability exercises. Time motor performance, gross manual dexterity, and upper extremity skills assessed using the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test, Box and Block Test, and Quality Upper Extremity Skill Test, respectively, were measured before and after 12 weeks of the treatment program. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in both groups by comparing the mean values of all measured variables before and after treatment (p<0.05). There were significant differences between the control and study groups with respect to all measured variables when comparing the post-treatment outcomes (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that core stability exercises can be an effective intervention that may improve hand functions in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.