Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences Peer Reviewed, Open Access, Free Online Journal Published Quarterly : Mangalore, South India : ISSN 0972-5997 This work is licensed under a Volume 9, Issue 4; Oct-Dec 2010 Creative Commons Attribution- No Derivative Works 2.5 India License Short Report: Effect of Modified Suit Therapy in Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy - A Single Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial Jagatheesan Alagesan, Associate Professor, KJ Pandya College of Physiotherapy, Sumandeep University, Vadodara, Angelina Shetty, Senior Physiotherapist, Mobility India, Bangalore. Address For Correspondence: Dr. A. Jagatheesan, Associate Professor, KJ Pandya College of Physiotherapy, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Piparia, Waghodia, Vadodara, India - 391760. E-mail: [email protected] Citation: Alagesan J, Shetty A. Effect of Modified Suit Therapy in Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy - A Single Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. Online J Health Allied Scs. 2010;9(4):14 URL: http://www.ojhas.org/issue36/2010-4-14.htm Open Access Archives: http://cogprints.org/view/subjects/OJHAS.html and http://openmed.nic.in/view/subjects/ojhas.html Submitted: Jul 26, 2010; Accepted: Nov 2, 2010; Published: Jan 20, 2011 Abstract: Treatment program is use of specific sets of exercise to work Background & Objective: Development of gross motor towards 3 important goals, preventing the weakening or deteri- function in children with cerebral palsy has been a primary goal oration of muscles that can follow disuse, avoiding contractures of physical therapists for decades. Suit therapy has been and to improve the child’s motor development. It also includes proposed as an adjunct to conventional physiotherapy to treat activities and education to improve flexibility, strength, mobil- the impairments associated with cerebral palsy. Providing an ity and function.(3) orthosis along with the conventional therapy improves the A variety of functional aids are available for therapy programs motor performance of the child. Hence, this study aimed to for cerebral palsy children like the prone or supine board, determine the effect of modified suit therapy in gross motor corner chair, feeding chair, other adaptive seating arrange- function of spastic diplegic children. Method: A simple ments, sensory and motor stimulating toys, standing tables, etc. random sample of 30 spastic diplegic subjects in age group of Use of brace together with a therapy program has both compon- 4-12 years fulfilling inclusion criteria from Mobility India, ents and detractors. Therapy and bracing may be mutually sup- Bangalore was included. The outcome was evaluated using plemental in helping to achieve functional development. Use of Gross Motor Function Measure-88 scale before and after the braces should be task oriented like, in standing or weight bear- intervention. Suit therapy along with the conventional therapy ing. As the child develops toward weight bearing and ambula- is given for 2hrs daily for duration of 3 weeks. Results & tion, appropriate use and progression to walker, crutches and Conclusion: Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann-Whitney U canes must be considered.(4-6) test were used to find the significance of improvement before and after the intervention. There was statistically significant Suit therapy has been proposed as an alternative to convention- difference between the experimental and control groups al therapy to treat the impairments associated with cerebral (P=0.030). It is concluded that modified suit therapy along with palsy. Suit therapy also known as the Adeli suit, polish suit, conventional physiotherapy is effective in improving the gross therapy suit and penguin suit. It is a modification of a space motor function of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. suit. This therapy is based on a suit originally designed by the Key Words: Cerebral palsy; Spastic diplegia; Modified Suit Russians for use by cosmonauts in space to minimize the effect therapy of weightlessness. Although the cause of motor dysfunction between cerebral palsy patients and astronauts are different, Introduction: results of a treatment trial with the Penguin suit to rehabilitate children with cerebral palsy appeared promising.(7) Cerebral palsy describes a group of disorders of the develop- ment of movement and posture, causing activity limitation that Therasuit is a soft dynamic proprioceptive orthotic device, is attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in which is classified as class I Limb Orthosis by the U.S. Food the developing brain. The motor disorders of cerebral palsy are and Drug Administration. (8) It consists of a vest, shorts, head- often accompanied by disturbances of sensation, cognition, piece and knee piece, and shoes with hooks. Suit therapy has communication, perception and behaviour and by seizure dis- been proposed as an alternative to conventional physiotherapy order.(1) Around 8000-10000 babies and infants are diagnosed to treat the impairments associated with cerebral palsy.(7) annually with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is the second most Providing an orthosis along with the conventional therapy im- common neurological impairment in childhood. The incidence proves the motor performance of the child. Hence, the purpose of cerebral palsy is 2-2.5 per 1000 live births. The incidence of of this study is to determine the effect of modified suit therapy spastic cerebral palsy is more common than the other types of in spastic diplegic children aimed at making the child more in- cerebral palsy which accounts 50% of identified cases.(2) dependent. 1 The objective of the study was to determine the effect of Modi- Comparison within group was done by using Wilcoxon signed fied Suit Therapy in gross motor function of children with spas- rank test and it is observed that in the experimental group the tic diplegic cerebral palsy. mean ± SD of pre-treatment is 59.22 ± 9.41 and in post- treatment is 63.16 ± 10.25. The difference in the mean from the Methodology: pre-test to post-test is statistically significant with z=5.525 and Source of data: Children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, p<0.001. In the control group, the mean ± SD of pre-treatment between 4 and 12 years of age from Mobility India, Bangalore is 51.7 ± 12.97 where as in post-treatment it is 53.25 ± 13.25. were selected for the study. Both sexes were included for the The improvement is statistically significant with z=4.298 and study. Subjects with subluxation or dislocation of hip, fracture p<0.001. Both groups displayed statistically significant of spine or limbs, severe scoliosis, seizures, mental retardation, improvement with p value less than 0.001. severe spasticity with contractures and any other congenital de- Table 3: Comparison between the groups formity were excluded from the study. Experimental Control Sampling technique: 30 children fulfilling inclusion criteria group group Treatment z-value p-value were selected with informed consent from their parents and as- Mean ± Mean ± SD signed randomly into two groups with 15 in each by lottery SD method. Group-A, Experimental group receiving Modified Suit 51.70 ± Pre 59.22 ± 9.41 1.818 0.080 therapy along with conventional therapy and Group-B, Control 12.97 group receiving only conventional therapy. 53.24 ± Post 63.16 ± 10.25 2.293 0.030 Study design: Single Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. 13.25 Ethical Clearance: The study was approved by Institutional The comparison between the experimental and control group Ethical Committee. was done by using Mann Whitney U-test. The pre-test scores of Intervention: Control group received conventional therapy, both groups displayed no statistically significant difference which includes available active movements of the limbs, with z=1.818 and p=0.080 which proves the experimental and strengthening of the muscles, stretching, weight bearing on control groups were homogenous before treatment. In the post- both the feet first supported and later unsupported standing,(4) treatment, the mean ± SD for experimental group is 63.16 ± weight bearing facilitation with proper rotation of trunk and 10.25 and for control group is 53.24 ± 13.25 with z=2.293 and pelvis.(3) It also included weight shifts, correction of abnormal p value being 0.030 showing statistically significant difference postures and deformities, technique to improve the stability, between groups. balance training technique to train standing and counterpoising using the facilitation of arm.(4) Facilitation of walking using techniques of balance and posture control, Gait training and stair climbing.(3) Experimental group received conventional therapy while wear- ing Modified Suit consisting of a vest, shorts, knee pad and shoe attachments.(9,10) Both groups were treated for 2 hours daily with short breaks of around 20 minutes for duration of 3 weeks.(10) Outcome measure: Gross Motor Function Measure-88 scale was used to evaluate all subjects before and after the interven- tion. Tester: The data were collected by a blinded tester working as Associate Professor in Physiotherapy for a teaching institute in Bangalore. Data Analysis and Results: Graph 1: Graphical representation of Pre and Post The data were put for analysis using SPSS 11.5 software, to treatment mean values of the experimental and control compare the pre and post therapy test scores and to find out the groups. significance of the data by using Wilcoxon signed rank test and Discussion: Mann Whitney U-test. A spastic diplegic child usually stands on the toes, Standing on