Effectiveness of electrical stimulation after administration of botulinum toxin in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy: A prospective, randomized clinical study

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of electrical stimulation to agonist muscles after injection of Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP). Patients and methods: Between October 2009 and October 2010, 38 patients with SDCP (19 males, 19 females; mean age 6.3 years; range, 4 to 10 years) were included. The patients were able to walk independently or with minimal assistance by foot equine and had spasticity in the calf muscles between Grades 1+ and 3 according to the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The patients received either BTX-A injection + electrical stimulation (Group 1, n=19) or BTX-A injection alone (Group 2, n=19). All patients were evaluated using the MAS, Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS), Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) (Dimensions D and E), and walking velocity. Results: A decrease in spasticity was evident for the right, left, and bilateral lower extremities for both groups (p