Motor Imagery Training in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy
Condition: Cerebral Palsy
MeSH terms: Paralysis; Cerebral Palsy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Motor imagery (MI) is a promising method to improve more cognitive aspects of motor
      behaviour, and may, thus, be effective for facilitating motor planning in children with
      Cerebral Palsy (CP). MI training facilitates the neural plasticity by enhancing the neuronal
      cortical pathways in brain. In children with CP, motor planning and MI capacity were found to
      be affected by studies. In the literature, there are studies about the evaluation of MI in
      Unilateral CP but there is insufficient number of studies included in MI in the
      rehabilitation program.

      The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of motor imagery training for gait and
      lower extremity muscle activity (with EMG), functional capacity, quality of life, and time
      performance variables in Children with Unilateral CP.

      The eligible participants will be allocated three groups, including motor imagery training
      group, traditional physiotherapy control group, and healthy control group. All the
      assessments will be performed before and after the training in the 8-week motor imagery
      training group and 6 weeks after the end of training. The participants in the control group
      will be evaluated with a 8-week interval and 6 weeks after the end of physiotherapy training.
      The healthy participants will be assessed only once. The motor imagery training will be
      designed for the individual basis with standard protocols. It will be applied two times a
      week for 8 weeks. All sessions will be performed in the clinic.
    

Detailed description: 
      Unilateral CP and age matched healthy individuals will be participate the study between the
      ages of 7 and 18 years. Children's gross motor skills classified with GMFCS.

      The control group individuals will be given a traditional physiotherapy two days per week for
      a total of 8 weeks (traditional physiotherapy session will last 45 minutes). Motor imagery
      training group will receive a traditional physiotherapy and motor imagery training within a
      specific program, two days a week for a total of 8 weeks (30 minutes traditional
      physiotherapy session+15 minutes MI training) .

      Within the scope of MI training, individual training program will be determined by taking
      into consideration the needs of the individuals and the expectations for gait. The basic case
      of PETTLEP (Physical, Environment, Task, Timing, Learning, Emotion, Perspective) will be
      followed. MI training will be given individually with the same physiotherapist.
    

Intervention name(s): Motor Imagery Training; Traditional physiotherapy
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Motor imagery training will be designed for the individual basis with standard protocols; Traditional physiotherapy within a specific program
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Unilateral Cerebral Palsy, Motor imagery,