Physical rehabilitation of children with spastic diplegia aged 14-16 using skiing sports

this study investigates the development of motor and coordination abilities in adolescents aged 14-16 years with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy (CP). The study involved 20 participants, randomly assigned to control and experimental groups of 10 each. The experimental group engaged in a specially designed set of physical exercises on skis, structured into a three-stage program with gradually increasing motor challenges, combined with a course of fixation massage aimed at reducing pathological spasticity and improving tissue trophism. The control group followed traditional adaptive physical education methods. Standardized assessment tools, including the Berg Balance Scale and stabilometric platform tests (evaluation of balance function and quality of balance control), were employed to measure outcomes. Statistical analysis was conducted using Mann–Whitney and Wilcoxon tests. The results demonstrated significant improvements in motor and coordination functions in the experimental group compared to the control group, confirming the effectiveness of ski-based exercises and fixation massage as a rehabilitative approach for adolescents with spastic diplegia. These findings support the integration of adapted sports-based interventions in comprehensive CP rehabilitation programs.

spastic diplegia, improvement of motor abilities, skiing sports, improving coordination abilities