Özet:

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of functional massage on the severity of lower limb spasticity and gross motor function of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: In this study, 20 children who were classified as level I-IV according to Gross Motor Classification System (GMFCS), who had communication skills (according to Communication Function Classification System, level I-III), who had never undergone surgery and who were between the ages of 5-12 years, were recruited from two rehabilitation centers. Children were randomized to control or experimental groups to receive either only Traditional Physiotherapy (TP) or TP combined with Functional Massage (FM). Interventions were delivered at equal dosage (total eight weeks, 2 days per week, 45 minutes/day) in the same environment. The severity of spasticity was measured with Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and functional level and gross motor function were quantified according to GMFCS and Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), respectively. Results: When the pre-therapy and post-therapy data covering GMFM and hip adductors, hip flexors, hamstrings and calf muscles spasticity score of the both groups were compared, no statistically significant difference was determined in the hip flexor spasticity score of the control group (p>0.05), while considerable differences were defined in the hip flexors spasticity score of the experimental group (p<0.05). Improvements on MAS belonging to other three muscle groups and on GMFM score were similar in both groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, it was identified that FM combined with TP is effective in treating spasticity and in improving some parameters related to motor function in children with CP.

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