To Evaluate the Effectiveness of Weight Shifting Activities to Improve Trunk Control and Balance Among Children with Cerebral Palsy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of weight-shifting activities for improving trunk control and balance among children with cerebral palsy. Background: Impaired trunk control and balance are common challenges faced by children with cerebral palsy (CP), significantly affecting their functional abilities and participation in daily activities. Weight-shifting activities, which involve controlled movement of the centre of gravity, have been identified as a potential intervention to improve trunk control and postural stability in this population. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was chosen for the study. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria 12 children with CP aged 5 to 15 years were selected. Participants received weight-shifting intervention for 5 sessions a week for 6 weeks. Intervention focused on static and dynamic weight-shifting activities. Trunk control and balance were used to assess trunk control and balance using standardized tools, Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS) and Paediatric Balance Scale (PBS). Pre-test and post-test were compared. Results: Data analysis was done using SPSS Software. Wilcoxon signed-rank –test shows that the result was found to be significant. The p -value was 0.002 for TCMS and PBS which is statistically significant as the value is less than 0.05. Conclusion: Weight-shifting activities demonstrate significance in improving trunk control and balance among children with Cerebral Palsy, highlighting their importance as therapeutic activities in occupational therapy settings.