The Effect of Therapeutic Climbing on Muscle Strength, Tone and Balance in Hemiplegic Children

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of this randomised controlled trial is to learn about the effect of therapeutic climbing in hemiplegic children. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does climbing affect muscle strength and tone? What is its connection between normative data drawn from healthy children? How can it affect balance? Participants (children) will be asked to complete an series of movements used in sports climbing, such as inside-flag, back-flag and horizontal traverse, while hanging on an in-door climbing wall.

Official Title
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The Effect of Therapeutic Climbing on Muscle Strength, Tone and Balance in Hemiplegic Children: a Preliminary Single-blind Randomised Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Hemiplegia and Hemiparesis

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Therapeutic Climbing


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Children from 4 to 16 years old Children with Hemiplegia Evaluated as Level 1 on GMFCS Exclusion Criteria: Botulinum toxin injection in last 6 months Surgery in the last 1 year (myofascial lengthening etc.) Children with poor cognitive skills (not following instructions etc.)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 4 Years
Maximum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Single-blind Randomised Controlled Trial
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control Group<br>The participants in this group continue their conventional intervention protocol without using the climbing instructions. | |
| Experimental: Climbing Group<br>The participants in this group continue their conventional intervention protocol plus an in-door climbing intervention protocol. | Other: Therapeutic Climbing<br>* The protocol consists of using an in-door climbing wall as an complementary therapeutic intervention model.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Muscle Strength | Measured using Kinvent K-PUSH Dynamometer and Jamar Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer ; Unit of Measure: Peak Force in Kilograms | 8 weeks (pre-post evaluation) | 
| Balance | Measured using the Timed Up & Go Test ; Unit of Measure: seconds of completion | 8 weeks (pre-post evaluation) | 
| Muscle Tone | Evaluated using the Modified Ashworth Scale ; Unit of Measure: Scoring Options (0-4) | 8 weeks (pre-post evaluation) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Normative Strength Data Comparison | Comparison of normative values of the Jamar Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer of Healthy and Hemiplegic Children ; Unit of Measure: Difference of Peak Force in Kilograms | 8 weeks (pre-post evaluation) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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children, therapeutic climbing, hemiplegia, muscle strength, balance