Effect of universal exercise unit on balance in children with spastic diaplegia / Samaa Hussein Rajab Soliman ; Supervised Khaled Ahmed Olama , Sahar Mohamed Nour Eldin , Ahmed Elnahhas

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Growth and Development Disorders Pediatrics

Background: Dysfunctional postural control is one of the key problems in children with cerebral palsy (CP) which interfere with the activities of daily life. Balance has been viewed as a skill that the nervous system learns to achieve using many systems including passive biomechanical elements, all available sensory systems and muscles and jointly many different parts of the brain. Universal exercise unit (UEU) therapy is one of the treatment approaches that can be used with other traditional physical therapy exercises for CP children. Purpose of the study: to evaluate the effect of using universal exercise unit (UEU) on standing balance in spastic diaplegia. Subject: thirty spastic diaplegic children with GMFCS level II of both genders (13 boys, 17girls),their ages ranging from 4 to 8 years old chosen from outpatient clinic, faculty of Physical, Cairo University participated in this study. They were classified randomly into two groups of equal numbers (group A: control and group B: study). Procedures: the control group received a designed physical therapy program, while the study group received UEU program in addition to the designed physical therapy program. Total work was assessed by using Biodex balance system before and after the application of the treatment program in both groups (control group and study group). Results: the results showed statically significant improvement in both groups in favor to study group. The post treatment values (P<0.05) group in all measured variables. Conclusion: universal exercise unit is considered to be an effective method to improve standing balance in spastic diaplegic children

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