Research: Standing Programs, Hip Flexibility and Cerebral Palsy

Pediatric Physical Therapy published research on the results of a daily standing program and physical therapy on 13 children with spastic diplegia.  The participants were Gross Motor Functional Classification Level III.

Each child used a custom fabricated stander from 12-14 months of age to 5 years of age.  Hip abduction range of motion was evaluated with goniometry at the start of the program and at 5 years of age.

The results indicated that hip abduction was 42° at baseline and 43° at 5 years.

The researchers concluded that although the small difference in range of motion was not clinically significant, it indicated that it is possible to maintain hip abduction ROM in the spastic adductor muscles of children with cerebral palsy with a daily standing program during the children's first 5 years of development.

Reference:  Macias-Merlo et al.  Standing Programs to Promote Hip Flexibility in Children With Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy.  Pediatric Physical Therapy: Fall 2015 - Volume 27 - Issue 3 - p 243–249. doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000150

Teaching Motor Skills to Children with Cerebral Palsy and Similar Movement Disorders - A Guide for Parents and Professionals -  Find out more at http://yourtherapysource.com/CPmotorskills.html