The effect of long-term conventional physical therapy and independent predictive factors analysis in children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of long-term conventional physical therapy (PT) on cerebral palsy (CP) children and to identify the predictors of therapy's response.Methods: We performed a retrospective review of CP children treated with PT, and their motor function was assessed every 3 months between 2008 and 2011.Results: Fifty-six children with a mean age of 4.2 ± 2.8 years, gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) levels were level I (n = 14), level II (n = 20), level III (n = 5), level IV (n = 8), and level V (n = 9). In the generalized estimating equations model, there was a significant improvement in the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) score (p < 0.001); the improvement was different in five GMFCS levels (p < 0.001) and GMFCS level II had faster progression. The younger CP children had better PT efficacy, and the GMFM-66 score continued improving until 8.4 years old in the older group.Conclusion: The long-term conventional PT is effective even in older CP children, and PT was most efficient in younger children and GMFCS level II