Cerebral Palsy (CP)NCT07669350
Effect of Aquatic Therapy Program on Balance in Children With Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy
A study testing aquatic therapy and land exercise program in people with Cerebral Palsy (CP), run by Delta University for Science and Technology.
Trial summary
1. Evaluate the effect of a structured aquatic therapy programme on static balance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. 2. Assess the effect of the same programme on dynamic balance in this patient population. 3. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 5 to 12 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Cerebral Palsy (CP)
- What is being tested?
- aquatic therapy and land exercise program
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 25 Jun 2026to 15 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 5 to 12 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Confirmed diagnosis of spastic diplegic cerebral palsy by a paediatric neurologist or developmental paediatrician
- Age between 5 and 12 years
- Classified at GMFCS levels I-III
- Bilateral lower limb spasticity with a Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score of ≥ 1
Who cannot join
- Athetoid, ataxic, or mixed-type cerebral palsy
- GMFCS levels IV or V (non-ambulatory children)
- Uncontrolled seizure disorder or epilepsy not managed by medication
- Open wounds, skin infections, or active dermatological conditions contraindicating water immersion
- Fear of water (aquaphobia) or inability to tolerate the aquatic environment
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
- Evaluate the effect of a structured aquatic therapy programme on static balance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
- Assess the effect of the same programme on dynamic balance in this patient population.
- Compare balance outcomes between children receiving aquatic therapy and those receiving conventional land-based physiotherapy.
Read the detailed description
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of permanent motor disability in childhood, with spastic diplegia being the most prevalent subtype, characterized by bilateral lower limb spasticity, impaired postural control, and significantly compromised balance - deficits that restrict functional mobility and participation in daily activities. These balance impairments arise from disrupted selective motor control, abnormal muscle tone, reduced proprioceptive integration, and impaired neuromuscular coordination, and represent a central therapeutic target in paediatric rehabilitation. Aquatic therapy exploits the physical properties of water - buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, warmth, and viscosity - to reduce spasticity, facilitate movement, and promote motor learning in a safe environment, with meta-analytic evidence confirming significant improvements in gross motor function compared to land-based approaches. However, studies specifically targeting balance as a primary outcome in children with spastic diplegic CP remain limited, representing a clinically important gap that this study seeks to address.
- Conditions
- Cerebral Palsy (CP)
- Being tested
- aquatic therapy, land exercise program
- Keywords
- Aquatic therapy, Diaplegia, cerebral palsy
- Medical subject headings
- Cerebral Palsy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
aquatic therapyOther
Aquatic therapy is a specialized rehabilitation approach that utilizes the physical properties of water, including buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, and resistance, to facilitate movement and improve functional performance in children with diplegic cerebral palsy. The aquatic environment reduces weight-bearing demands, allowing safer practice of balance, gait, strength, and motor control activities while minimizing joint stress. Regular aquatic therapy may enhance muscle strength, postural stability, mobility, and overall participation in daily activities.
land exercise programOther
The control group participated in a conventional land-based exercise program consisting of stretching, strengthening, balance, and functional mobility exercises. The program focused on improving lower-extremity muscle strength, postural control, gait performance, and overall functional abilities through activities performed on a stable surface. Exercises were progressed according to each participant's abilities while maintaining consistency in treatment duration and frequency across the study groups.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Study group | Experimental | study group will receive aquatic exercise therapy Receives: Other: aquatic therapy |
| control group | Active comparator | land exercise program Receives: Other: land exercise program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
static balance
Static and dynamic balance will be assessed using the Biodex Balance System. Stability indices will be recorded to evaluate postural control and balance performance
Measured: baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jun 2026
- Study start25 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Cerebral Palsy (CP)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Delta University for Science and Technology
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Ella, Delta University for Science and Technology
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07669350
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- trial CP
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 20 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 25 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: confidentiality of the research
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Aquatic Therapy Program on Balance in Children With Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07669350
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- trial CP
- Conditions
- Cerebral Palsy (CP)
- Keywords
- Aquatic therapy, Diaplegia, cerebral palsy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Delta University for Science and TechnologyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 25 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 25 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
- Evaluate the effect of a structured aquatic therapy programme on static balance in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
- Assess the effect of the same programme on dynamic balance in this patient population.
- Compare balance outcomes between children receiving aquatic therapy and those receiving conventional land-based physiotherapy.
Detailed description
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of permanent motor disability in childhood, with spastic diplegia being the most prevalent subtype, characterized by bilateral lower limb spasticity, impaired postural control, and significantly compromised balance - deficits that restrict functional mobility and participation in daily activities. These balance impairments arise from disrupted selective motor control, abnormal muscle tone, reduced proprioceptive integration, and impaired neuromuscular coordination, and represent a central therapeutic target in paediatric rehabilitation. Aquatic therapy exploits the physical properties of water - buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, warmth, and viscosity - to reduce spasticity, facilitate movement, and promote motor learning in a safe environment, with meta-analytic evidence confirming significant improvements in gross motor function compared to land-based approaches. However, studies specifically targeting balance as a primary outcome in children with spastic diplegic CP remain limited, representing a clinically important gap that this study seeks to address.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Study group | Experimental | Other: aquatic therapystudy group will receive aquatic exercise therapy |
| control group | Active comparator | Other: land exercise programland exercise program |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 5 to 12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Confirmed diagnosis of spastic diplegic cerebral palsy by a paediatric neurologist or developmental paediatrician
- Age between 5 and 12 years
- Classified at GMFCS levels I-III
- Bilateral lower limb spasticity with a Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score of ≥ 1
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Athetoid, ataxic, or mixed-type cerebral palsy
- GMFCS levels IV or V (non-ambulatory children)
- Uncontrolled seizure disorder or epilepsy not managed by medication
- Open wounds, skin infections, or active dermatological conditions contraindicating water immersion
- Fear of water (aquaphobia) or inability to tolerate the aquatic environment
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| aquatic therapyAquatic therapy is a specialized rehabilitation approach that utilizes the physical properties of water, including buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, and resistance, to facilitate movement and improve functional performance in children with diplegic cerebral palsy. The aquatic environment reduces weight-bearing demands, allowing safer practice of balance, gait, strength, and motor control activities while minimizing joint stress. Regular aquatic therapy may enhance muscle strength, postural stability, mobility, and overall participation in daily activities. | Other | Study group |
| land exercise programThe control group participated in a conventional land-based exercise program consisting of stretching, strengthening, balance, and functional mobility exercises. The program focused on improving lower-extremity muscle strength, postural control, gait performance, and overall functional abilities through activities performed on a stable surface. Exercises were progressed according to each participant's abilities while maintaining consistency in treatment duration and frequency across the study groups. | Other | control group |
Primary outcome
static balance
Time frame: baseline
Static and dynamic balance will be assessed using the Biodex Balance System. Stability indices will be recorded to evaluate postural control and balance performance
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. confidentiality of the research
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing aquatic therapy and land exercise program in people with Cerebral Palsy (CP), run by Delta University for Science and Technology.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact ibrahim A abu ella, Phd (+201008442281, ibrahimneuron@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
static balance (time frame: baseline). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Jun 2026.