Effect of Visual Feedback on Static Standing Balance in Children with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy Compared to Normal Children

The results of literature review revealed a controversy with regard to the effect of visual input on static standing balance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Moreover, it has been suggested that using combining tasks, such as mirror visual feedback, can improve static standing balance. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of visual feedback on static standing balance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy compared with that in normal children.
Participants included 15 children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy and 15 normal children were selected conveniently. Children were instructed to stand with bare feet for 60 seconds on a Kistler force platform with their eyes open, eyes closed, and mirror visual feedback. Independent t-test and paired t-test were used for data analysis.
A significant difference was reported in comparing children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy and normal children during conditions of eyes open, eyes closed, and mirror visual feedback [P≤0.05]. A significant difference was reported in COP excursion [P=0.03] and COP path length in mediolateral plane [P=0.01] when comparing the two conditions of eyes open and eyes closes in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy [P≤0.05]. A significant difference was also reported in COP velocity in mediolateral plane when comparing the eyes open and eyes closed conditions in normal children [P≤0.05].
According to the results of the study, it can be suggested that children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy and normal children are similarly dependent on visual input to maintain their static standing balance. Moreover, using mirror visual feedback can adversely affect static standing balance and it cannot benefit static standing balance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.