Comparison Between AOT and Functional Training on Balance, Mobility and Cognition in Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Comparison Between Action Observation Therapy and Functional Training on Balance, Mobility and Cognition in Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

The aim of the study is to find out the effects of Action observation therapy as compared to the traditional physiotherapy in diplegic spastic cerebral palsy patients. We will check the effects on balance mobility and cognition of patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Diplegic Cerebral Palsy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Action Observation Theraoy; Other: Functional Training

Detailed Description

A study conducted in 2020 on diplegic CP patients. The action observation training group repeatedly practiced the action with their motor skills, while the control group practiced conventional physical therapy. Results suggest that action observation training is both feasible and beneficial for improving spasticity, gross motor function, and balance in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

One of the researcher evaluated the evidence of using Action Observation Therapy in the rehabilitation of children with Cerebral Palsy. It was Systematic review with meta-analysis. No evidence of benefit had been found to draw a firm conclusion regarding the effectiveness of action observation therapy in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy due to limitations in methodological quality and variations between studies.

Some also, investigated the effects of VR-based intervention by means of active videogame on self-concept, balance, motor performance and adaptive success in children with CP. They concluded that VR-based intervention might interfere with the way children with CP perceive themselves, apart from improve their balance, motor performance and adaptive success. Thus VR-based intervention is a potential tool to assist rehabilitation professionals to improve these aspects of children's health condition.

Similarly, A study concluded that Action observation therapy is beneficial in rehabilitation of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. A study concluded that action observation along with gait training provides greater benefits for gait and cognitive performance in elderly with MCI. According to a scientist action observation therapy is effective and feasible for functional mobility in rehabilitation processes. A researcher in his study action observation therapy is more effective in improving upper limb movements and functions.

There are various studies on movement observation training but most of them are related to restoring the upper limb function of stroke and cerebral palsy patients, and studies on the mobility, cognition, and balance in cerebral palsy for movement observation training are sparse so this study will contribute in examining improvements in rehabilitation of children with diplegic cerebral palsy by demonstrating the effects of action observation training and conventional therapy for the treatment of mobility, cognition, and balance.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 46
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Khyberpakhtunkhuwa
    • Swāt, Khyberpakhtunkhuwa, Pakistan, 25000
      • Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital Swat

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 5 years to 11 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed Diaplegic Spastic CP between the age of 5 to 11 years.
• Able to follow the researcher's instruction.
• GMFCS (gross motor function classification system) level I-III
• Children with a modified ashworth scale (MAS) of ≤ 3.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to walk
• Children with severe co-morbidities like musculoskeletal deformities, spina bifida and other types of Cerebral Palsy.
• With visual impairment and visual field defects

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Action Observation therapy; This group will perform exercises in stages. First stage consists of movements to improve balance in sitting position with exercises upright the pelvis, move weight forward, move weight to the left and right and rotate right and left. Second stage consist of sit to stand movements with exercises upright the pelvis in sitting position, move weight forward from a sitting position and stand up from a sitting position. Third stage consist of standing movements to improve balance with exercises move weight right and left, forward weight shift with right foot and left foot (lateral view) and forward weight shift with right foot and left foot (front view). Fourth stage consist of walking side ways to left and then towards right. Therapist will perform these tasks and video will be made which will play in front of patients.	Other: Action Observation Theraoy; After initial baseline assessment patients allocated in AOT group will undergo treatment protocol of 6 weeks having 4 stages of duration 1.5 weeks each performed 3 days per week. . Assessment will be perform at baseline after 2, 4 and 6 weeks
Active Comparator: Functional Training Group; participants including in this group will perform the tasks including lying to sitting position, moving in the sitting posture, sitting and standing up, posture training for learning a normal gait pattern, weight bearing and weight movement training in the straight posture, walking training on the flat floor, and stair walking	Other: Functional Training; after baseline assessment participants including in this group will perform the tasks for 6 weeks (3 days per week) s and after that again assessment will be made for examining the improvements.Assessment will be perform at baseline after 2 ,4 and 6 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Gross motor function measure	Changes form the baseline Gross Motor Function measure (GMFM) is the valid and standard observational instrument to measure change in gross motor function in CP children. It consists of 66 items with 5 dimensions. These dimensions are the major motor functions i.e. supine/rolling, sitting, crawling/kneeling, standing and walking/running/jumping. Each task is rated according to the scoring guidelines i.e. higher score indicated better gross motor function. Each GMFM item is graded on 4-point scale i.e. 0 for unable to initiate the task, 1 for able to initiate the task, 2 for able to perform the task partially and 3 for able to perform the task completely	6 weeks
Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS)	Changes from the baseline Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) is a modified form of Berg Balance Scale (BSS) which was developed for balance measurement in CP child. It can be performed without specialized equipment and can be easily administered. It including 14 items with 5-level grading to assess the functional activities that child must safely and independently form at home, community, activities including sitting balance, sit to stand/stand to sit, transfer, stepping, reaching forward, reaching to floor, turning and stepping on and off at elevated surface. Each activity is rated according to scale from 0 to 4 i.e. 0 for unable to perform and 4 for able to perform without difficulty.	6 weeks
Timed 10 meter walk test	Changes from baseline Timed 10 meter walk test was used to measure the gait ability and speed. The acceleration area 2.5m and deceleration area 2.5m were marked on the ground as start and end point for the test. Participants were asked to walk for 15 minutes on comfortable flat floor at a comfortable speed and then record the walking speed through stopwatch over 10 m between these point	6 weeks
Mini-mental state pediatric examination (MMSPE)	Changes from baseline Mini-mental state pediatric examination (MMSPE) is a cognitive screening task and scoring system for 3 to 14 years old child. It represented 11 questions involving five basic cognitive abilities i.e. attention-concentration, orientation, registration, recall and language and constructive ability. (22) The possible score range is from 0 to 37, from which 17 or lower score indicating as moderate to severe cognitive impairment of children.	6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Riphah International University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ayesha Bashir, MSNMPT, Riphah International University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 15, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): August 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 9, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 16, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): December 19, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 24, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 18, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Cerebral Palsy (CP); Action observation therapy (AOT)
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Brain Damage, Chronic; Cerebral Palsy
• Other Study ID Numbers: Aizaz Ullah Khan

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No