Authors : Tabassum Ali, Chhandamayee Mohanty, Rajniti Prasad, B K Das
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijpns.2020.011
Volume : 3
Issue : 2
Year : 2020
Page No : 49-54
Introduction: A description of Cerebral Palsy (CP) is, a group of stable disorders of the development of
movement and posture, causing activity limitations that are attributed to no progressive disturbances that
happened in the developing fetal or infant brain.
Objective: To evaluate the role of oral Baclofen on Physiotherapy in reducing spasticity of cerebral palsy.
Materials and Methods: This study was performed in the Department of Anatomy and Department of
Pediatrics, University Hospital, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and Kiran Society, Varanasi. Patients
aged between 2 years to 14 years of both sexes satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly
enrolled into two groups; Group A included 60 patients who received only physiotherapy and Group B
included 60 patients who received baclofen along with physiotherapy. Spasticity parameters were evaluated
using modified Ashworth scale, physical rating scale like knee recurvatum, angle for crouch gait and
foot contact. All patients were followed up at 4 weeks interval and were evaluated after of 24 weeks.
Ethical clearance was obtained from the concerned authority. Data management and statistical analysis
were performed using MS excel.
Results: Physiotherapy was highly effective in reducing tone in spastic cerebral palsy. Similar was the
observation when baclofen was added to physiotherapy regimen. However, when compared, the efficacy of
baclofen along with physiotherapy was far superior as compared to physiotherapy alone. However, none of
the treatment modalities has significant effect on knee recurvatum.
Conclusion: Addition of baclofen to physiotherapy regimen is superior to physiotherapy alone for reducing
muscle tone and improving the joint angle stiffness as well as gait.
Keywords: Spastic cerebral palsy, Baclofen, Physiotherapy.