EFFECT OF VERBAL ENCOURAGEMENT ON WALKING EFFICIENCY IN CHILDREN WITH SPASTIC DIPLEGIC CEREBRAL PALSY: A CROSS-SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of verbal encouragement on the Energy Expenditure Index (EEI) in children with spastic diplegia by comparing the trials of walking with and without verbal encouragement Method: This cross-sectional observational study included 20 children with spastic diplegia. After obtaining an informed consent, EEI was assessed during walking with and without verbal encouragement over three trials. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired T-Test. Results: The mean EEI was 1.71+0.55beats/min with verbal encouragement and 1.39+0.56 beats/m without verbal encouragement (p-value < 0.001). However, the effect size was small (0.27). Conclusion: Although verbal encouragement produced a statistically significant increase in EEI, the small effect size suggests that it didn’t result in a clinically meaningful change in energy efficiency during walking in children with spastic cerebral palsy. However, it can be used in adjunct to other modes of rehabilitation.