Effects of Electromechanical Gait Trainer in Patients With Cerebral Palsy

The experimental group will be subjected to 12-30 minute session (3 per week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday) of repetitive locomotor therapy on the Gait Trainer (Reha-Stim, Berlin, Germany), followed by 20 minutes of passive joint mobilization and stretching exercises. The GT-I consists of a double crank and rocker gear system, composed of two footplates positioned on two bars (coupler), two rockers, and two cranks that provide the propulsion. While using the gait trainer, individuals are secured in a harness and positioned on two footplates, whose movements simulate stance and swing phase, with a ratio of 60% to 40% between the two phases. The body weight was initially reduced by 30% and then progressively increased.

The control group will be subjected to a conventional treatment that will consist of three different sets of exercises: 1) passive joint mobilization and stretching of lower limb muscles; 2) muscle strengthening exercises; 3) gait exercises. Each set of exercises lasted 10, 15 and 15 min, respectively with 2,5 min at rest between each set for a total of 40 minutes.