The Effect of Aquatic Exercise Therapy on Gross Motor Function of Students with Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

^{The aim of this study is investigating the effects of 8-week aquatic exercise therapy on the gross motor function of students with spastic cerebral palsy. In this quasi-experimental study, 12 students with cerebral palsy were selected based on the study criteria, and were divided into experimental and control groups. Exercise intervention included 6 sessions of aquatic exercise therapy. Gross Motor Function Measure-66 [GMFM-66] [standing and walking positions] was used to measure the gross motor function before, immediately after and two months after the aquatic exercise intervention. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, independent t-test and analysis of variance with repeated measures were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the mean scores of the gross motor function of the experimental group significantly increased in standing and walking positions before and immediately after the intervention [F=3.5, P=0.88]. Moreover, the measurement of gross motor skills after the intervention exercise showed significant progress in gross motor skills of the experimental group [P<0.05]. Aquatic exercise therapy in this study improved gross motor function in students with spastic cerebral palsy.}