STATIC AND FUNCTIONAL BALANCE IN DIPLEGIC CHILDREN SUBMITTED TO BOTULINUM TOXINS TYPE A AND RECIPROCAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION

Background and introduction: Balance is fundamental for the efficient accomplishment of all activities of daily living; balance dysfunction is one of the most common problems in diplegic children that could be attributed to unbalanced function of agonist and antagonist, reciprocal electrical stimulation hypothesized to improve the opposed muscle action. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Reciprocal Electrical Stimulation (RES) on dorsi and planter flexors of both ankles in treatment of balance dysfunction after submission to botulinum toxin (BT-A). Methods: Thirty children with spastic diplegia, aged from 4 to 6 years with mean 4.9±0.779 were assigned randomly into two groups of equal numbers: study group received RES in addition to physical exercise program 3 times weekly for 3 months and control group received the same physical exercise program without RES for the same number of sessions as in study group. Static and the functional balance were assessed pre-treatment and 3 months post-treatment in both groups (using the Biodex Balance system and Berg’s balance scale consequently). Results: Results showed significant improvement in the 2 outcomes when comparing the post treatment mean values of the two groups in favor of the study group (p