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

NCT05983887 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: climb_in_hem
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 12
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Hemiplegia and Hemiparesis

Keywords

therapeutic climbing; hemiplegia; children; muscle strength; balance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Muscle Strength

  Measured using Kinvent K-PUSH Dynamometer and Jamar Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer ; Unit of Measure: Peak Force in Kilograms (higher scores - better outcome)

  8 weeks (pre-post evaluation)

• Balance

  Measured using the Timed Up \& Go Test ; Unit of Measure: seconds of completion (higher scores - worse outcome)

  8 weeks (pre-post evaluation)

• Muscle Tone

  Evaluated using the Modified Ashworth Scale ; Unit of Measure: Scoring Options (0-4) // (higher scores - worse outcome)

  8 weeks (pre-post evaluation)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Normative Strength Data Comparison

  8 weeks (pre-post evaluation)

Study Arms (2)

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

The participants in this group continue their conventional intervention protocol without using the climbing instructions.

Climbing Group

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants in this group continue their conventional intervention protocol plus an in-door climbing intervention protocol.

Other: Therapeutic Climbing

Interventions

Therapeutic Climbing OTHER

The protocol consists of using an in-door climbing wall as an complementary therapeutic intervention model.

Climbing Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 16 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Children from 4 to 16 years old
• Children with Hemiplegia
• Evaluated as Level 1 on GMFCS

You may not qualify if:

• 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.)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Pavlos Kitixis: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Physiotherapy

Lamia, Phthiotis, 35100, Greece

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Buechter RB, Fechtelpeter D. Climbing for preventing and treating health problems: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ger Med Sci. 2011;9:Doc19. doi: 10.3205/000142. Epub 2011 Aug 9.

  PMID: 21863133 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• The effect of therapeutic climbing on gross motor function in hemiplegic cerebral palsy. A pilot single-case experimental design study (SCED)

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hemiplegia; Paresis

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Paralysis; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Thomas Besios, PhD

  University of Thessaly

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Single-blind Randomised Controlled Trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 30, 2023
• First Posted: August 9, 2023
• Study Start: April 10, 2023
• Primary Completion: August 31, 2023
• Study Completion: September 20, 2023
• Last Updated: December 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GR (1)