The Effects Of Passive Manual Stretching In Lower Limbs On Spasticity And Range Of Motion In Children With Cerebral Palsy

Introduction: Children with Cerebral Palsy often experience a disorder of the mechanism of reflex stretching, which have a devastating effect on the kinetic patterns. The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of six weeks passive manual stretching in lower limbs on spasticity and range of motion in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: The sample comprised 28 children with clinically diagnosed cerebral palsy divided into two groups: the control group [n=14; 12.31 mean age ± 2.25 st.deviation (SD)], which continued their normal routine of treatments, and the therapy group (n=14; 12.33 mean age ± 2.90 SD), which received an additional 2-month of passive manual stretching program on lower limbs. The spasticity was assessed with the use of the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS), and the range of motion with goniometer. Results: According tothe MAS and the MTS measurements, the therapy group presented a statistically significant improvement in most of the muscle groups in both limbs. Whereas the control group showed no statistically significant improvement in both scales. As far as the data of goniometry is concerned, the therapy group experienced statistically significant improvement compared to the control group. In total, a higher gain was observed in the right lower limb compared to the left. Conclusion: The above data is a bear statement that passive stretching improves spasticity and range of motion in lower limbs in children with CP and that stretching must be a fundamental part of the therapeutic protocol.