Affiliations: [a] Sports Movement Healing Lab, Department of Physical Therapy, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea | [b] Anyang Community Kwanak Rehabilitation Center | [c] Department of Physical Therapy, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Sung (Joshua) Hyun You, PT, PhD, Movement Healing Lab, Department of Physical Therapy, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae Kil, Wonju City, Kangwon-do, Republic of South Korea 26493, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 33 760 2476; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: PURPOSE:To determine the effects of a novel dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) technique on gross motor function, diaphragm movement, and activation of the external oblique (EO) and internal oblique (IO)/transversus abdominal (TrA) muscles in participants with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD:Fifteen participants with CP (7 females) underwent DNS intervention for 30 minutes/day, 3 days a week for 4 weeks. Gross motor function, diaphragm movement, and muscle activation were determined using a gross motor function measure (GMFM-88), ultrasound, and electromyography measurements, respectively, before and after the DNS core stabilization intervention. Paired t-tests were used at p < 0.05. DESIGN:A single-arm, pretest-posttest clinical trial. RESULTS:GMFM scores for standing, walking, and jumping domains were significantly improved after the intervention (P < 0.05). Diaphragm descending movement (P = 0.0001) and activation of the internal oblique and transversus abdominals were initially undetectable, but remarkably increased after the intervention (P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS:DNS is a promising, effective intervention for facilitating deep core muscle activation of the underactive muscle chain comprising the diaphragm, internal oblique, and transversus abdominals, thereby improving age-appropriate standing, walking, and jumping in participants with spastic diplegic CP.
