The following is a summary of “Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation-assisted training on lower limb motor function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy,” published in the February 2024 issue of Pediatrics by He et al.
This study aimed to investigate the impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)-assisted training on lower limb motor function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP). Thirty-one children meeting inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to either a control group (n = 16) or an experimental group (n = 15). The control group received routine rehabilitation treatment twice daily for 30 minutes, five days a week for four weeks, while the experimental group received rTMS once daily for 20 minutes, five days a week for four weeks, in addition to routine treatment.
Outcome measures included the 10-meter walk test (10MWT), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) test, D- and E-zone gross motor function measurements (GMFM), symmetry ratio of step length and stance time, and muscle tone of the triceps surae and hamstrings evaluated by the modified Ashworth scale, before and after treatment in both groups. Results revealed significant improvements in 10MWT, 6MWD, GMFM, and symmetry ratio of step length and stance time in both groups post-treatment, with greater improvement observed in the experimental group.
The triceps surae muscle tone was significantly reduced in the experimental group post-treatment, whereas no significant change was observed in the control group. These findings indicate that repetitive TMS-assisted training holds promise in enhancing lower limb motor function in children with HCP.
Source: bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-024-04605-5