Combining Whole-Body Vibration, Serial Casting, and Therapy to Treat Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report.

PURPOSE: This case report describes the combined use of whole-body vibration (WBV), serial casting (SC), and physical therapy (PT) for a child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP).

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: A 3-year 10-month-old male with HCP was followed for 10 months. Treatment included 9 weeks of SC due to ankle plantarflexion contracture, hypertonicity, poor orthotic tolerance, and gait limitations. WBV was introduced during week 4 to address hypertonicity and poor tolerance of manual therapy. PT sessions included stretching, gait training, and strengthening exercises, integrating SC and WBV into a comprehensive intervention.

STATEMENT OF CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: This is the first report to explore combining WBV and SC within a PT program. WBV was safe and effective, potentially serving as a preparatory activity for SC. Improved orthotic wear tolerance, dorsiflexion range of motion, and gait efficiency suggest potential benefits of this multimodal approach, warranting further research.

UNLABELLED: Video Abstract: Supplemental digital content available at http://links.lww.com/PPT/A657 .