ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07921147Updated Nov 6, 2026

Telerehabilitation Compared With Clinic-Based Physiotherapy in Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy

An interventional study of Structured Telerehabilitation Program and Clinic-Based Physiotherapy Program in Spastic Cerebral Palsy, sponsored by Riphah International University. Recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 4 Years to 12 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.

Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Updated Nov 6, 2026Newly registeredGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
44
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
4 Years to 12 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This randomized controlled trial will compare structured telerehabilitation with clinic-based physiotherapy in children aged 4-12 years with spastic cerebral palsy. Both groups will receive physiotherapy three times per week for 12 weeks. The study will evaluate changes in gross motor function using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88), assess spasticity using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and examine the usability of telerehabilitation using the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ). The study aims to determine whether structured telerehabilitation can provide an effective alternative to clinic-based physiotherapy while potentially reducing barriers related to travel, cost, and access to pediatric rehabilitation services.

Read the detailed description

The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effectiveness of structured telerehabilitation and clinic-based physiotherapy in improving gross motor functions among children aged 4-12 years with spastic cerebral palsy classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III. A secondary objective is to assess the usability of structured telerehabilitation using the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ). A total of 44 participants will be randomly allocated to two groups, with 22 participants in each group. Both groups will receive physiotherapy three times per week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Gross motor function will be assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88), while spasticity will be evaluated using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Assessments will be conducted at baseline, six weeks, and 12 weeks to monitor changes during the intervention period. The study will determine whether structured telerehabilitation can provide comparable improvements in gross motor function to clinic-based physiotherapy and evaluate its usability as an alternative approach to delivering pediatric rehabilitation services.

02

Conditions studied

  • Spastic Cerebral Palsy

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Keywords

  • Spastic Cerebral Palsy
  • Telerehabilitation
  • Clinic-Based Physiotherapy
  • Gross Motor Function
  • Pediatric Rehabilitation
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • GMFM-88
  • Telehealth Usability
03

In context

Cerebral Palsy

1,936 studies on the registry are indexed under Cerebral Palsy; 458 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 44 is above the median of 34 across 1,431 interventional studies indexed under Cerebral Palsy.

Browse Cerebral Palsy studies →

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,193 studies on the registry; 650 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
4 Years to 12 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Children aged 4-12 years diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy.
  2. Children classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-III.
  3. Medically stable children able to participate in physiotherapy sessions.
  4. Availability of caregiver support and internet access sufficient to participate in telerehabilitation sessions.
  5. Written provided by a parent or legal guardian.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Children without adequate internet access or caregiver support required for telerehabilitation.
  2. Children with uncontrolled seizures or severe comorbidities that interfere with safe participation in physiotherapy.
  3. Children classified at GMFCS levels IV-V.
  4. Children who have undergone orthopedic surgery or received botulinum toxin injections within the preceding 6 months.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

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05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
44 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Structured Telerehabilitation

    Participants will receive a structured physiotherapy program remotely through video communication, three times per week for 12 weeks, with approximately 45 minutes per session.

    Behavioral: Structured Telerehabilitation Program

  • Active comparator
    Clinic-Based Physiotherapy

    Participants will receive a structured physiotherapy program in a clinical setting under direct physiotherapist supervision, three times per week for 12 weeks, with approximately 45 minutes per session.

    Behavioral: Clinic-Based Physiotherapy Program

Interventions

  • BehavioralStructured Telerehabilitation Program

    A structured physiotherapy program delivered remotely through video communication under physiotherapist guidance, with caregiver assistance. The program will be conducted three times per week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Exercises will include stretching, range-of-motion exercises, strengthening, balance training, functional mobility, postural control, and coordination activities tailored to the child's functional abilities.

  • BehavioralClinic-Based Physiotherapy Program

    A structured physiotherapy program delivered in a clinical setting under direct physiotherapist supervision. The program will be conducted three times per week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Exercises will include stretching, range-of-motion exercises, strengthening, balance training, functional mobility, postural control, and coordination activities tailored to the child's functional abilities.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) Score

    Gross motor function will be assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88), a standardized tool used to evaluate motor abilities in children with cerebral palsy across five dimensions: lying and rolling, sitting, crawling and kneeling, standing, and walking, running, and jumping. Changes in GMFM-88 scores from baseline to the end of the 12-week intervention will be compared between the structured telerehabilitation and clinic-based physiotherapy groups.

    Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after the start of the intervention.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) Scores

    Spasticity will be assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), which measures resistance to passive movement during clinical examination. Changes in MAS scores from baseline to the end of the intervention will be compared between the two study groups.

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks after the start of the intervention.

  2. Usability of the Structured Telerehabilitation Program

    The usability of the structured telerehabilitation program will be assessed using the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) at the end of the intervention. The questionnaire will evaluate caregivers' perceptions of the usability and acceptability of the telerehabilitation approach.

    Time frame: At the end of the 12-week intervention.

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Health and wellness physiotherapy and rehabilitation centre shewa adda swabi
    Swābi, Kpk 23430, Pakistan
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • İlhanlı M, İlhanlı İ, Çelenk P. Cerebral palsy and oral health. Deneysel ve Klinik Tıp Dergisi. 2022;39(4):1283-93.
  • Gong C, Liu X, Fang L, Liu A, Lian B, Qi X, Chen S, Li H, Zhao M, Guo J, Zhou S. Prevalence of cerebral palsy comorbidities in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Neurol. 2023 Sep 28;14:1233700. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1233700. eCollection 2023. PubMed 37840931 ↗
  • Novak I, Morgan C, Adde L, Blackman J, Boyd RN, Brunstrom-Hernandez J, Cioni G, Damiano D, Darrah J, Eliasson AC, de Vries LS, Einspieler C, Fahey M, Fehlings D, Ferriero DM, Fetters L, Fiori S, Forssberg H, Gordon AM, Greaves S, Guzzetta A, Hadders-Algra M, Harbourne R, Kakooza-Mwesige A, Karlsson P, Krumlinde-Sundholm L, Latal B, Loughran-Fowlds A, Maitre N, McIntyre S, Noritz G, Pennington L, Romeo DM, Shepherd R, Spittle AJ, Thornton M, Valentine J, Walker K, White R, Badawi N. Early, Accurate Diagnosis and Early Intervention in Cerebral Palsy: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment. JAMA Pediatr. 2017 Sep 1;171(9):897-907. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.1689. PubMed 28715518 ↗
  • Novak I, Morgan C, Fahey M, Finch-Edmondson M, Galea C, Hines A, Langdon K, Namara MM, Paton MC, Popat H, Shore B, Khamis A, Stanton E, Finemore OP, Tricks A, Te Velde A, Dark L, Morton N, Badawi N. State of the Evidence Traffic Lights 2019: Systematic Review of Interventions for Preventing and Treating Children with Cerebral Palsy. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2020 Feb 21;20(2):3. doi: 10.1007/s11910-020-1022-z. PubMed 32086598 ↗
  • Morgan C, Fetters L, Adde L, Badawi N, Bancale A, Boyd RN, Chorna O, Cioni G, Damiano DL, Darrah J, de Vries LS, Dusing S, Einspieler C, Eliasson AC, Ferriero D, Fehlings D, Forssberg H, Gordon AM, Greaves S, Guzzetta A, Hadders-Algra M, Harbourne R, Karlsson P, Krumlinde-Sundholm L, Latal B, Loughran-Fowlds A, Mak C, Maitre N, McIntyre S, Mei C, Morgan A, Kakooza-Mwesige A, Romeo DM, Sanchez K, Spittle A, Shepherd R, Thornton M, Valentine J, Ward R, Whittingham K, Zamany A, Novak I. Early Intervention for Children Aged 0 to 2 Years With or at High Risk of Cerebral Palsy: International Clinical Practice Guideline Based on Systematic Reviews. JAMA Pediatr. 2021 Aug 1;175(8):846-858. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0878. PubMed 33999106 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Registered
First appeared on the registry. No changes since
Nov 6, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Nov 6, 2026
    First appeared on the registry

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07921147
Collaborators
Bacha Khan Medical College
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 6, 2026
Start date
Oct 21, 2026
Primary completion
Apr 5, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 12, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 6, 2026

Study contacts

Zahoor Dr. Zahoor Ahmed, Phd
Contact
Zahoor_riphah@hotmail.com
+92 315 6767569
Zobia Naeem, MS
principal investigator · Riphah International University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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