Whole-body vibration training improves the walking ability of a moderately impaired child with cerebral palsy: a case study.
[Purpose] Strength training is recommended for children with cerebral palsy. However, it is difficult for moderately impaired children with cerebral palsy, who require crutches for ambulation, to participate in this type of training. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether whole-body vibration training is an effective method of strengthening in a moderately impaired child with cerebral palsy. [Subject and Methods] This report describes an 8-year-old Japanese boy with cerebral palsy, who was ambulatory with crutches. The subject participated in physical therapy twice a week for 5 weeks. Whole-body vibration training was selected to complement the standing practice. The patient's crutch-walking ability, gross motor function, and spasticity were evaluated. [Results] The number of steps and walking duration were reduced in a 5-m walk test with crutches and gross motor function was improved. Further, the spasticity was reduced. [Conclusion] Whole-body vibration training is an effective physical therapy intervention in moderately impaired children with cerebral palsy, who are unable to walk without crutches.
Department of Sports Medicine and Sports Science, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
Tamotsu
T
Yabumoto
School of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
Sohee
S
Shin
Department of Sports Medicine and Sports Science, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
Tsuneo
T
Watanabe
Department of Community Health Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Japan.
Yusuke
Y
Watanabe
Department of Physical Therapy, Gumma Paz College, Japan.
Toru
T
Naka
Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University, Japan.
Kazuo
K
Oguri
Department of Sports Medicine and Sports Science, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
Toshio
T
Matsuoka
Cerebral palsy; Walking ability; Whole-body vibration