Low bone density management via capacitively coupled electrical fields and low intensity pulsed ultrasound in hemiparetic cerebral palsy

Abstract

Osteoporosis is being increasingly recognized in pediatric practice as a consequence of several factors. These include the increasing complexity of chronic conditions and the associated treatments managed by pediatricians. In addition, the improved care provided to children with chronic illness has led to many of them living long enough to develop osteoporosis. Many children with cerebral palsy have diminished bone mineral density and the application of capacitively coupled electrical fields and low intensity pulsed ultrasound aim to improve the formation of bone cells and so may be helpful in the management of such cases. In this study, capacitively coupled electrical fields and low intensity pulsed ultrasound was conducted to investigate its effect on bone mineral density in spastic diaplegic cerebral palsy. Twenty spastic hemiparetic children were the sample of this work. There were divided randomly into two equal groups. Bone mineral densities were measured before and after six months of the application of the treatment program. Group A (control) received the physiotherapy program, while group B (study) received capacitively coupled electrical fields and low intensity pulsed ultrasound in addition to the same treatment program given to group A. Significant improvement were observed in all measuring variables when comparing the posttreatment results in both groups in favor of group B. Conclusion: Capacitively coupled electrical fields and low intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy may be considered as one of the most helpful methods of physiotherapy in management of low bone density in spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsied children.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy; Hemi-paresis; Osteoporosis; Capacitively coupled electrical fields; Low intensity pulsed ultrasound