Effect of inter segmental training program on gait stability, harmony and symmetry in children with spastic diplegia / Rasha Atef Saad Elmetwally Alhusseiny ; Supervised Kamal Elsayed Shoukry , Hassan Magdy Elbarbary , Amira Elsayed Albagalaty

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Growth and Development Disorders in Pediatrics

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of inter segmental training program on gait stability, harmony and symmetry in children with spastic diplegia through participation in core stability training program and gait training by using the Modified Walker device through walking on different stable/ unstable surfaces in addition to the designed physical therapy program. Thirty children with cerebral palsy spastic diplegia, ranged in age from four to seven years participated in this study. They were classified randomly into two equal groups (control and study).The control group received a designed physical therapy program. The study group received core stability training program and gait training by using the Modified Walker device through walking on different stable/ unstable surfaces in addition to the designed physical therapy program. Children were assessed using Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), gait analysis to measure Golden Ratio, Symmetrical Ratio and Terminal Stance angle for hip joint, before and after three months of the application of the treatment program.The results of this study revealed a statistically significant improvement in the measuring variables of study and control groups. From the obtained results of this study, it could be concluded that, inter segmental training program and gait training with Modified Walker device had a beneficial effect to be applied as a modality in addition to the traditional techniques used to improve the gait stability, harmony and symmetry in children with spastic diplegia

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