Effectiveness of Hippo therapy on Gross Motor Function and Balance in the Children with Cerebral Palsy.

Abstract

Background: Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive brain lesion causes neuromuscular and musculo-skeletal impairment where spasticity, poor balance, loss of selective motor controls, impairment in the motor functions is evident. Hippo therapy was known to be effective from literature as several scientific evidence has been established in favor of hippo therapy. This study was therefore aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hippo therapy on Gross motor function and balance in the children with cerebral palsy in the local context. Methodology: A clinical trial was conducted with 30 participants randomly assigned and divided into trial (n=15) and control (n=15). Both groups were treated by 2 weeks of conventional physiotherapy where the trial group had additional 8 sessions, 30 minutes of hippo therapy. GMFM and PBS were used to determine the outcome and the pretest and posttest scoring were analyzed using parametric test- paired and independent sample t test. Result: The result showed (GMFS-88) in Dimensions A, B, D, E both the hippo therapy and conventional physiotherapy had statistical significant effectiveness (p<.05) but only in dimension A and B the hippo therapy with conventional therapy was more effective than conventional physiotherapy. In PBS among 14 variables 10 variables had significant (p<.05) improvement both in trial and control group. But in 5 variables Sit to stand. Stand to sit, Transfer, Standing unsupported and sitting unsupported, hippo therapy combined with conventional physiotherapy had a superior effect. Conclusion: Hippo therapy is combined with conventional therapy is effective in most of the parameters of Gross motor function and Balance in the children with cerebral palsy. Key words: Hippo therapy, Conventional Physiotherapy, Gross Motor function, Balance.