Sensory Walkway and Gait in Children With Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

NCT07595744 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: No:P.T.REC/012/006158
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 44
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effect of sensory walkway training on gait performance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Participants will be assigned to a control group receiving conventional physical therapy or an intervention group receiving conventional therapy combined with sensory walkway training. The intervention will be conducted over a defined treatment period.

Conditions

Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Keywords

Sensory Walkway; Spastic Diplegic; Cerebral Palsy; Gait Parameters

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Gait Speed

  Gait speed (m/s) will be assessed using the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT). Participants will walk a 10-meter distance at a self-selected comfortable walking speed. Time recorded during the test will be used only to calculate gait speed.

  3 months

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Step Width

  3 months

• Cadence

  3 months

• Step Time

  3 months

Study Arms (2)

Control Group - Conventional Physical Therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in the control group will receive a conventional physical therapy program including stretching exercises for lower limb muscles, strengthening exercises, balance training, and gait training. The program includes quadruped exercises, kneeling and half-kneeling positions, standing balance exercises using balance boards and beams, stepping exercises, and walking training using parallel bars and assistive devices. Each session lasts 60 minutes and will be conducted three times per week for three consecutive months.

Behavioral: Conventional Physical Therapy Program

Study Group - Conventional Physical Therapy plus Sensory Walkway Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the study group will receive conventional physical therapy including stretching, strengthening, balance exercises, and gait training. In addition, they will undergo gait training on a sensory walkway consisting of wooden foot boxes filled with different textured materials to provide tactile stimulation. Corresponding hand sensory boxes are placed along parallel bars to provide simultaneous upper limb sensory input. Children will walk through the walkway while immersing their feet and hands in the textured materials and are encouraged to identify and describe textures to enhance sensory awareness. The intervention aims to improve sensory-motor integration, postural control, balance, and gait parameters in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Each session lasts 60 minutes and is performed three times per week for three months.

Behavioral: Conventional Physical Therapy Program; Behavioral: Sensory Walkway Training

Interventions

Conventional Physical Therapy Program BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the control group will receive a conventional physical therapy program including stretching exercises for lower limb muscles, strengthening exercises, balance training, and gait training. The program includes quadruped exercises, kneeling and half-kneeling positions, standing balance exercises using balance boards and beams, stepping exercises, and walking training using parallel bars and assistive devices. Each session lasts 60 minutes and will be conducted three times per week for three consecutive months.

Control Group - Conventional Physical Therapy; Study Group - Conventional Physical Therapy plus Sensory Walkway Training

Sensory Walkway Training BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the study group will receive conventional physical therapy in addition to gait training on a sensory walkway. The sensory walkway consists of a sequence of wooden foot boxes filled with different textured materials to provide tactile stimulation of the feet during walking. Corresponding hand sensory boxes are placed along parallel bars to provide simultaneous upper limb sensory input. This setup enables reciprocal sensory stimulation of upper and lower limbs during gait training. Children will walk through the walkway in a controlled manner while immersing their feet and hands in the textured materials and are encouraged to identify and describe the textures to enhance sensory awareness. The intervention aims to improve sensory-motor integration, postural control, balance, and gait parameters in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Each session lasts 60 minutes and is performed three times per week for three months.

Study Group - Conventional Physical Therapy plus Sensory Walkway Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 7 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Clinical diagnosis of spastic diplegic cerebral palsy
• Aged between 5 and 7 years
• Classified at level II on the Gross Motor Function Classification System
• Spasticity grade 1 or 1+ according to the Modified Ashworth Scale
• Able to walk independently or with an assistive device without physical assistance
• Able to follow verbal commands
• Abnormal gait pattern

You may not qualify if:

• Visual or auditory impairment
• History of lower limb surgery within the past 2 years
• Use of medications affecting muscle tone and/or cognitive function
• Contractures or fixed deformities in upper or lower limbs

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Outpatient Clinic, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University

Dokki, Giza Governorate, Egypt

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Damage, Chronic; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases

Central Study Contacts

Shaymaa Rushdy Mahmoud, lecturer

CONTACT

0201145050053; shaymaa.rushdy@pt.cu.edu.eg

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: B.Sc. Physical Therapy

Model Details: Participants will be assigned into two parallel groups: a control group receiving a conventional physical therapy program and a study group receiving the same program in addition to sensory walkway training.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 8, 2026
• First Posted: May 19, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 31, 2027
• Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

EG (1)