Effects of Task Oriented Circuit Training on Functional Mobility and Activity Participation in Cerebral Palsy

NCT ID: NCT07275528

Last Updated: 2025-12-10

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 34 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-13
• Study Completion Date: 2026-01-10

Brief Summary

cerebral palsy hemiplegia often experiences motor problems that primarily affect one side of their body. Children with hemiplegia have difficulties in functional activities. Task-Oriented Circuit Training (TOCT) is a high-intensity, progressive intervention designed to improve functional motor skills by engaging individuals in repetitive, task-specific exercis it is randomized control trail conducted with 34 patients included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Functional mobility assessed through 6-minute walk test and activity participation evaluated through Child Engagement in Daily Life measurement scale.

Detailed Description

Cerebral palsy hemiplegia often experiences motor problems that primarily affect one side of their body. Children with hemiplegia have difficulties in functional activities, which severely affects the children's quality of life. Task-Oriented Circuit Training (TOCT) is a progressive intervention designed to improve functional motor skills by engaging individuals in repetitive, task-specific exercises. It involves a series of workstations where individuals practice tasks like balancing, walking, and reaching skills essential for daily life. The purpose of the research was to find out the effectiveness of task specific circuit training on activity participation and functional mobility in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. This non blinded randomized control trail will be conducted at fauji foundation hospital Rawalpindi for the duration of 1 year after approval of GERC with 34 patients included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. After ethical approval from FUSH ERC, eligible participants will be randomly assigned into two groups through sealed envelope method. The participants would assess through 6- minute walk test for functional mobility and child engagement in daily life measurement scale for activity participation on the day of starting the intervention, after 4th week and 8th week. Intervention will be given for a total 40-50 minutes per session, 3 sessions per week for consecutive 8 weeks. Task-oriented Circuit Training (TSCT) includes 14 workstations that target different motor skills through progressive exercises that gradually increase in difficulty. Conventional Physical Therapy includes Stretching of tight muscles, strengthening of weak muscles, and positioning

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy (CP); Functional Mobility

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

task oriented circuit training

Task-oriented circuit training was delivered through a structured set of fourteen workstations designed to promote functional mobility, strength, balance, and coordination. Each workstation targeted a specific task, such as standing and reaching beyond arm's length at various distances and heights, sit-to-stand transitions from different chair heights, multidirectional stepping on blocks of varying heights and surfaces, alternating heel and toe raising, and progressive squatting with adjustments in depth, duration, and added hand weights. Additional stations included supine straight leg raises with optional cuff weights, stair ascending and descending with progressive load, backward walking beginning near a wall and advancing to open space with shuttle runs, walking on a balance beam with speed and surface variations, core-strengthening crunches, supine bridging with increased knee flexion and repetitions, prone opposite arm-and-leg raises with repetition progression, side bridge exer

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Experimental

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

The intervention consists of a structured taskoriented circuit training program composed of 14 different workstations designed to target functional mobility, lower limb strength, balance, and endurance. Each station addresses a specific motor task, such as standing and reaching, sit-to-stand from variable chair heights, multidirectional stepping on firm and soft surfaces, alternating heel-toe raises, progressive squats (with modifications in depth, duration, and added weight), supine straight leg raises, stair climbing (ascending and descending), backward walking, balance beam walking, core strengthening via crunches and bridges, prone alternating arm/leg raises, side bridges, and cycling on a stationary bicycle with adjustable resistance and direction.

Conventional physical therapy

convention physical therapy will provide to both the groups comprised stretching exercises, strengthening exercises and positioning. Each spastic muscle will stretch up to the level of mild discomfort where it was held for 20 seconds and the procedure was repeated five times. Each CP child will assess separately for spastic group of muscles. Each weak muscle was made to contract against resistance 10 times in one session. Parents will advise to make their child sit with open legs on bench/block with heels touching the ground. They will also advise to make standing position against a wall with legs in moderate abduction and external rotation for 15 minutes daily after exercises

Group Type: OTHER

CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Sessions: 3 sessions per week (30-40 minutes) Duration: 6-8 weeks Frequency: 3-4 sessions/week Session Length: 30-40 minutes Format: begin with less repetition gradually progress to increase time and repetition HOT PACK: 10 MINS Week 1-2

1. Stretching Exercises Exercise Detail: Spastic muscles are stretched to the point of mild discomfort. Each stretch is held steadily while maintaining proper alignment. Dosage: Hold each stretch for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times for every identified spastic muscle.

2. Strengthening Exercises Exercise Detail: Weak muscles are activated through gentle contractions performed against light resistance. Dosage: Perform 10 repetitions for each weak muscle in every session.

3. Positioning Exercise Detail: Child is positioned in sitting with legs open on a bench or block, heels touching the ground. Standing against a wall with moderate abduction and external rotation is also introduced. Dosage: Maintain sitting as tolerated. Wall -standing for 15 minutes

Interventions

Experimental

The intervention consists of a structured taskoriented circuit training program composed of 14 different workstations designed to target functional mobility, lower limb strength, balance, and endurance. Each station addresses a specific motor task, such as standing and reaching, sit-to-stand from variable chair heights, multidirectional stepping on firm and soft surfaces, alternating heel-toe raises, progressive squats (with modifications in depth, duration, and added weight), supine straight leg raises, stair climbing (ascending and descending), backward walking, balance beam walking, core strengthening via crunches and bridges, prone alternating arm/leg raises, side bridges, and cycling on a stationary bicycle with adjustable resistance and direction.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY

Sessions: 3 sessions per week (30-40 minutes) Duration: 6-8 weeks Frequency: 3-4 sessions/week Session Length: 30-40 minutes Format: begin with less repetition gradually progress to increase time and repetition HOT PACK: 10 MINS Week 1-2

1. Stretching Exercises Exercise Detail: Spastic muscles are stretched to the point of mild discomfort. Each stretch is held steadily while maintaining proper alignment. Dosage: Hold each stretch for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times for every identified spastic muscle.

2. Strengthening Exercises Exercise Detail: Weak muscles are activated through gentle contractions performed against light resistance. Dosage: Perform 10 repetitions for each weak muscle in every session.

3. Positioning Exercise Detail: Child is positioned in sitting with legs open on a bench or block, heels touching the ground. Standing against a wall with moderate abduction and external rotation is also introduced. Dosage: Maintain sitting as tolerated. Wall -standing for 15 minutes

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosed cases of hemiplegic cerebral palsy
• Both genders are included
• The children were between 5 and 12 years old.
• Their motor function was at a level I or II based on the GMFCS,
• The degree of spasticity grade 1 to 2 based on the Modified Ashworth Scale.

Exclusion Criteria

• Visual or hearing loss
• Cognitive impairment
• Seizures
• A botulinum toxin injection in the previous six months,
• Lower extremity surgery
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Structural deformities in the spine and/or lower limbs.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 5 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Foundation University Islamabad

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Foundation University College of Physical Therapy

Islamabad, , Pakistan

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Pakistan

Central Contacts

Ahyab Mehreen, DPT

Role: CONTACT

ahyab.mehreen@gmail.com

+92 3349279563

Facility Contacts

Kiran Khushnood, MS-NMPT

Role: primary

kiran.khushnood@fui.edu.pk

+92 3335993417

Other Identifiers

FUI/CTR/2025/10

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id