A study of swimming teaching strategy for diplegia spastic type cerebral palsy children: evaluation with angle of joint

• Main Authors: Mei-fong Hung, 黃美鳳
• Other Authors: Shu- Ping Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/59245f

碩士 === 國立臺南大學 === 國民教育研究所 === 92 === Abstract The purpose of this study was to establish the instruction strategy of swimming lessons for the diplegia children with spastic type cerebral palsy, and to evaluate the effects of the swimming lessons on the joint angle for them. The subjects of the study were 15 diplegia children with spastic type cerebral palsy from the elementary schools in Tainan City. According to preferences, eight were assigned into one experimental group and seven were into control group. All subjects underwent one physical therapy per week while the experimental group also underwent three 60-minute swimming lessons per week for 20 weeks. Before and after the study, tested items included: shoulder joint (flexion, abduction, external rotation, internal rotation), elbow joint (flexion, pronation, supination), wrist joint (flexion, extension), hip joint (flexion, abduction, external rotation, internal rotation), knee joint (flexion), and ankle joint (dorsiflexion, plantar flexion). The results were analyzed and listed as follows: 1. Before study, all subjects didn’t show significantly difference on angle joint measurements (P＞ .05). 2. Experimental group showed significant improvement on right shoulder internal rotation, left shoulder joint flexion, right left elbow joint supination, right wrist joint extension, left hip joint internal rotation, right left hip external rotation, and right left hip joint flexion. 3. Control group showed significant improvement on the tests of right left hip joint flexion and left elbow joint flexion. 4. Experimental group showed significant improvement in their swimming evaluations. Two were able to swim 25 m using breaststroke in coordination with freestyle leg kick and 25 m using backstroke with arm and leg coordination. Another two were able to swim independently with dog paddle for 10 m. This study showed that diplegia children with spastic type cerebral palsy not only could undergo aquatic therapy, they could also participate in normal swimming lessons and activities, provided that the instruction strategy of swimming teaching was modified to suit the needs of these children. After taking the swimming lessons, they showed significant improvement on movements of extremities. These improvements have positive effects on the subjects’ sitting, standing and walking postures.