Dynamic Surface Exercise Training and Static Surface Exercise Training in Cerebral Palsy Children

Plain-language summary

This randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effects of Dynamic Surface Exercise Training (DSET) and Static Surface Exercise Training (SSET) on balance and gross motor function in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP) aged 6-12 years, classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels III-IV. CP is the most common motor disability of childhood, characterized by non-progressive disturbances to the developing brain, leading to impairments in movement, posture, and functional independence. Balance deficits and gross motor limitations significantly impact daily activities and quality of life in these children. Dynamic surfaces such as Swiss balls, bolsters, and platform swings provide postural perturbations that challenge vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual systems, potentially enhancing trunk control, postural stability, and adaptive responses. In contrast, static surface exercises emphasize controlled strength, postural alignment, and functional task performance on stable platforms such as mats or benches. Fifty participants meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly allocated into two equal groups. The DSET group will receive 60-minute sessions, four days per week for six weeks, involving multi-planar trunk activation, optimal arousal activities, and dynamic balance tasks on unstable surfaces. The SSET group will perform equivalent-duration exercises on stable surfaces, focusing on functional reaching, transfers, and static/dynamic balance. Primary outcomes are Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66) and Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), assessed at baseline, week 3, and week 6 by a blinded evaluator. Statistical analyses will compare within- and between-group changes. Findings will help identify the more effective approach for improving functional outcomes in children with CP, guiding evidence-based pediatric neurorehabilitation strategies.

Who can participate

What they're measuring

Trial details