Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

Sensory Walkway and Gait in Children With Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

ConditionSpastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age5-7
SponsorCairo University

About this trial

This study aims to evaluate the effect of sensory walkway training on gait performance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Participants will be assigned to a control group receiving conventional physical therapy or an intervention group receiving conventional therapy combined with sensory walkway training. The intervention will be conducted over a defined treatment period.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Clinical diagnosis of spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Aged between 5 and 7 years

Classified at level II on the Gross Motor Function Classification System

Spasticity grade 1 or 1+ according to the Modified Ashworth Scale

Disqualifiers

Visual or auditory impairment

History of lower limb surgery within the past 2 years

Use of medications affecting muscle tone and/or cognitive function

Contractures or fixed deformities in upper or lower limbs

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Conventional Physical Therapy Program

    Behavioral

    Participants in the control group will receive a conventional physical therapy program including stretching exercises for lower limb muscles, strengthening exercises, balance training, and gait training. The program includes quadruped exercises, kneeling and half-kneeling positions, standing balance exercises using balance boards and beams, stepping exercises, and walking training using parallel bars and assistive devices. Each session lasts 60 minutes and will be conducted three times per week for three consecutive months.

  • Sensory Walkway Training

    Behavioral

    Participants in the study group will receive conventional physical therapy in addition to gait training on a sensory walkway. The sensory walkway consists of a sequence of wooden foot boxes filled with different textured materials to provide tactile stimulation of the feet during walking. Corresponding hand sensory boxes are placed along parallel bars to provide simultaneous upper limb sensory input. This setup enables reciprocal sensory stimulation of upper and lower limbs during gait training. Children will walk through the walkway in a controlled manner while immersing their feet and hands in the textured materials and are encouraged to identify and describe the textures to enhance sensory awareness. The intervention aims to improve sensory-motor integration, postural control, balance, and gait parameters in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Each session lasts 60 minutes and is performed three times per week for three months.

Treatment groups

44 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Control Group - Conventional Physical TherapyActive comparator 1 intervention
Group B: Study Group - Conventional Physical Therapy plus Sensory Walkway TrainingExperimental treatment 2 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Gait Speed

Gait speed (m/s) will be assessed using the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT). Participants will walk a 10-meter distance at a self-selected comfortable walking speed. Time recorded during the test will be used only to calculate gait speed.

Time frame
3 months

Secondary outcomes

1

Step Width

Step width (cm) will be assessed using Kinovea software based on video recordings.

Time frame
3 months
2

Cadence

Cadence (steps/min) will be calculated using gait cycle analysis from Kinovea software

Time frame
3 months
3

Step Time

Step time (seconds) will be analyzed using Kinovea software based on video-based gait cycle timing.

Time frame
3 months

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Cairo University

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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