Efficacy of occupational therapy and serial casting in lower limbs of cerebral palsy children administered with phenol nerve block

Abstract

Abstract To see the efficacy of occupational therapy and serial casting over occupational therapy alone in case of sciatic nerve block in cerebral palsy children. In the study 18 spastic cerebral palsy children were treated with in-traneural phenol block (open technique) followed by occupational therapy to bring out functional change. All the 18 patients were administered with intraneural phenol block. In 9 patients serial casting combined with occupational therapy (experimental group) was given while in another group 9 patients were treated with occupational therapy alone (control group). The treatment session for each patient lasted for 6 weeks. To measure the outcome GMFM 66, pediatric balance test (PBT), active range of motion, passive range of motion, modified Ashworth scale were used as tool. There was significant reduction in spasticity of all the 18 patients (after administration of intraneural phenol nerve block) when compared with their pre-operative status. There was significant improvement of gross motor function (GMFM 66), active and dynamic balance (through PBT), and active range of movement of knee joint in experimental group. There was no significant difference between the groups in passive range of motion and reduction of spasticity. The study concludes that intraneural phenol block reduces spasticity in cerebral palsy children to a significant level thus improving the functional outcome in these children. Serial casting when combined with occupational therapy after phenol block gives much better and quicker improvement in gross motor function and motor milestone development.