Combining intensive rehabilitation with a non-functional iso-kinetic strengthening program in adolescents with cerebral palsy : a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common brain injury in the pediatric population. CP patients present different affectations such as decreased muscle strength, gait deviations, impaired proprioception and spasticity. Isokinetic strengthening programs may improve muscle strength and therefore gait efficiency. OBJECTIVE The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effect of an intensive rehabilitation combined with an isokinetic progressive strengthening program to an intensive rehabilitation alone on gait parameters and muscle strength in CP patients. Another goal of the current study is to determine whether adding an isokinetic program is more effective than just an intensive rehabilitation on decreasing spasticity and improving joint position sense in CP patients. METHODS Thirty adolescents with spastic diplegia CP (GMFCS level I to III) will be randomized, by an independent researcher, into a 3 weeks intensive rehabilitation and isokinetic progressive strengthening group or an intensive rehabilitation control group. Gait parameters, muscle strength, spasticity and knee joint position sense will be assessed. These variables will be evaluated at baseline (T0) and at the end of the intervention (T1). RESULTS The protocol has been accepted by the French National Ethics Committee in October 2022. Inclusion of patients will start in November 2022. CONCLUSIONS This study will investigate the effects of an intensive rehabilitation combined with an isokinetic program, on gait parameters, strength, spasticity and joint position sense.