Current Physical Therapy Practice in Norway for Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Abstract

To investigate to what degree functional physical therapy approaches are implemented in Norway when promoting gross motor skill acquisition in children with cerebral palsy. It was a national survey about current practice among Norwegian pediatric physical therapists. The physical therapists chose between 5 predefined approaches developed through practice descriptions by a convenience sample of 55 physical therapists. The distribution of the main approaches were: functional training based on principles of motor learning, training of body functions and structures, manual stimulation of position and movements, addressing environmental factors, and conceptual methods. Working in the North and having more experience predicted less chance of using functional approaches. Most physical therapists frequently used other approaches as a supplement to the main approach, but not conceptual methods. Functional training based on principles of motor learning has become the method of choice in Norway.