Neurológia pre prax 6/2011

Improvement of motor functions evaluated by GMFM after robotic- assisted treadmill training in two patients with cerebral palsy

In this paper we present a robotic-assisted locomotor therapy in LOKOMAT system and report here the results of a 12-week trial of robotic- assisted treadmill therapy in the LOKOMAT system of a 5,5 year and 25 year old patients both suffering from quadriplegia form of cerebral palsy. The aim of the treatment was to improve motor function, stability of sitting, standing and if possible also improvement of walking parameters. Before and after therapy the patients were examined and tested in a standard way through a range of GMFM. In both cases we have documented significant improvement in stabilization of the axial muscle tone. We have recorded improvement of the walking stereotype in 5,5 year old girl. Improvement of walking abilities in children with CP documented in the works of foreign authors suggests that the paradigm of taskspecific locomotor training could be applied to children with CP who, within their motor development, have not been able to walk with physiological stereotypes so far.

Keywords: robotic-assisted treadmill training, cerebral palsy, gross motor function measure.