Influence d’un entraînement sur tapis roulant avec restriction de circulation sanguine (blood flow restriction – BFR) sur les performances à la marche au sein d’une population d’enfants atteints de troubles du développement neuromoteur

Objective

To study the association of blood flow restriction (BFR) with treadmill gait training on the walking endurance capacities of children with non-progressive neuromotor disorders (cerebral palsy and associated).

Method

Non-randomized controlled trial conducted over a 10-week period in the physiotherapy department of the IEM le Château de Bailly in children with non-progressive neuro-central disorders aged 8 to 15. The children, divided non-randomly into a test group (GT) and a control group (GC) according to their age and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), followed the same training protocol on a treadmill. The parameters studied were: 10-meter walking speed (10mWT), Index of Energy Expenditure (IDE5), number of sit-stands in 60 seconds (STS60′′) and the 6-minute walk test (TD6M).

Results

Significant improvements were seen in some of the parameters studied: STS60′′ (P = 0.039 on GT), IDE5 (P = 0.022 on GC) and TD6M (P = 0.058 on GT and P = 0.022 on GC). However, there was no significant improvement in the parameters retained by the GT compared with the GC.

Conclusion

Improvements in endurance parameters are linked to the training protocol implemented. However, the association of an arterial occlusion device does not appear to be necessary to obtain a functional improvement in gait. Further studies would be necessary to confirm the results.