Galileo Research Fact Sheet #163: Can Galileo Therapy improve walking distance in kids with CP?

Another interesting study of the group of Prof. Schoenau at the University of Cologne (“Cologne Concept”) which investigated the effects of Galileo Therapy in children (5-10 years) with Cerebral Palsy (CP) on muscle function in walking (Cologne Concept: 3x3 minutes, 10 session/week, patient individual exercises, 5-27Hz). The main outcome parameter was the walking distance of the 6 minutes walking test (6MWT).

Main goal of this study was to establish reference data for functional parameters in children with CP to be able to distinguish between effects caused by growth and standard therapy and effects of novel therapies like Galileo. The Cologne Concept is world-wide a unique institution, because nowhere else neuromuscular functional parameters of so many children with different diseases are assessed in such a standardized manner – for over 15 years now. This huge body of data is now used as a basis for normative values for various functional parameters separated by different diseases and severeness levels (in this study CP, GMFCS 1&2). This will help in the future to evaluate individual developments more objectively.

As in other studies the results showed after 6 months of home-based Galileo Therapy a significant improvement of the walking distance by +17% (see also #GRFS171). Especially the comparison to the following 6 months without Galileo but with the individual standard therapy is very interesting, because it did not show a significant additional improvement – even though a slight improvement in functional parameters is to be expected simply due to growth. This is a proof for the fact that the observed functional improvements are in fact caused by Galileo Therapy and that these effects are larger than those of the individual standard therapy.

Kids Therapy - CP, Walking Distance, 6MWT  
#GRFS163 #GRFS