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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Neurol.
Sec. Movement Disorders
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1511849

Immediate Effects of Vojta Therapy on Gait Ability in Down Syndrome Patients: A Pilot Study

Provisionally accepted
Qian Guoping Qian Guoping 1*Ewelina Perzanowska Ewelina Perzanowska 1Mirela Kozakiewicz Mirela Kozakiewicz 1Paulina Ewertowska Paulina Ewertowska 1Hongli Yu Hongli Yu 1,2Zbigniew Ossowski Zbigniew Ossowski 1*
  • 1 Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdańsk, Poland
  • 2 Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong, Sichuan, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Vojta Therapy (VT) is a neurorehabilitation approach that targets ontogenetic postural function and automatic body posture control. Research has shown its potential to enhance gait ability.However, limited evidence exists regarding its immediate effects on individuals with Down syndrome (DS).Objectives: This study aimed to assess the immediate effects of one session VT on spatiotemporal gait parameters in individuals with DS.Design: A non-randomized pilot study was conducted.Methods: Sixteen individuals with DS (mean age: 17.88 ± 4.57 years, 8 males) participated in this study. Each received a single VT session administered by an experienced physiotherapist.Spatiotemporal gait parameters before and after VT were analyzed using the Vicon motion capture system.Results: Significant improvements were observed in walking speed (m/s), cadence (steps/min), right step time (s), step length (cm), stride length (cm), and double support time (%GC) following the VT session (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that VT may offer immediate benefits in improving gait parameters for individuals with DS.Conclusions: Future large-scale studies with more robust designs are necessary to explore the longterm effects of extended VT programs.

    Keywords: Immediate effects, Spatiotemporal gait parameters, Vojta therapy, Down Syndrome, VICON, Pilot Study

    Received: 15 Oct 2024; Accepted: 10 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Guoping, Perzanowska, Kozakiewicz, Ewertowska, Yu and Ossowski. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Qian Guoping, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdańsk, Poland
    Zbigniew Ossowski, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdańsk, Poland

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.