Neural Mobilization and Cerebral Palsy
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University of Seville
- Where
- Spain2 sites in 1 countryChoose a country to see its sites
- Trial code
- Status
- Completed
- People taking part
- 40 people enrolled
- Started
- 1 Sept 2024
- Ended
- 15 May 2025
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Neural mobilization of the lower limb
- Conventional physical therapy
- Record updated
- 4 May 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 5 years to 17 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 10 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Children and adolescents diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy or presence of spasticity and aged between 5 and 18 years
- Level I to IV in the Gross Motor Function Classification System, which denotes that the participant should be able to walk with or without using assistive devices
- Increased muscle tone in the lower extremities, represented by a score greater than 0 on the Tardieu clinical scale and a positive response in the Duncan Ely test
- Ability to communicate pain
- Ability to follow simple commands
Who cannot take part
- Have ankle joint arthrodesis or any surgical operation that prevents joint mobilization of the lower limb to some degree
- Any significant change in medication treatment during the study period that may influence (increase or decrease) muscle tone
- Have received botulinum toxin treatment in the lower limb within the 3 months prior to the study
- Undergo a different physical therapy treatment parallel to that developed in the study
- Experience uncontrolled epileptic seizures despite medication
This trial has no sites in United States.
It has sites in one country. Choose a country to see its sites.
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Objective: To assess the effect of neural mobilization applied to the lower limbs, compared to conventional physical therapy, in children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, the investigators will try to evaluate the impact of the intervention in aspects related with structure, activity, and participation.This project will mainly focus on the structure dimension. More specifically, the investigators aim to observe if a treatment protocol designed to modify the structure (e.g.,the sciatic nerve using neural mobilization techniques), will evoke changes not only in the structural dimension, but also will be able to modify the activity and participation dimensions.
Read full original descriptionShow less
Design: A single blinded randomized clinical trial (the evaluator will remain blinded to treatment allocation group) will be conducted. The experimental group will receive an intervention consisting on the use of neurodynamic mobilization procedures of the lower limb and participants in the control group will undergo a conventional physical therapy intervention (stretching, mobilization), without the use of neural mobilization.
Subjects: Participants will be aged between 5 and 18 years, and with a confirmed diagnosed of Cerebral Palsy with the presence of spasticity in the lower limbs.
Methods: Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups: experimental or control group. The primary outcome will be the range of motion (flexion and extension) of the hip, knee and ankle. Secondary outcomes will include gross motor function, pain intensity, muscle stiffness, muscle tension, and functional measures.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Neural mobilization of the lower limbTreatment being tested
Several neural mobilization techniques will be performed for the lower limb, with a special focus on the sciatic nerve. First, three different passive techniques will be used. These will consist of two sets of ten repetitions each with one minute rest between sets. This will last approximately 5 minutes. Then, three dynamic neural mobilization techniques will be performed, with each exercise lasting for 5 minutes per set, including two different sets (one minute rest between them), with a total of 10 minutes of mobilization and one minute of rest per exercise. Therefore the complete approach will last for 30 minutes approximately. Following this set of dynamic neural mobilization exercises, static neural mobilizations of the sciatic nerve will be performed again following the same order and duration than in the beginning.
- Conventional physiotherapy treatmentExisting treatment, for comparison
A conventional treatment will be performed, consisting of passive and active mobilizations, active stretching, and techniques aimed at improving daily life activities
Treatment: Conventional physical therapy
Data and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Effect of Neural Mobilization, Compared to Conventional Physical Therapy, in Children Diagnosed With Cerebral Palsy. A Pragmatic Approach
- Record updated
- 4 May 2026