The effects of massage therapy on symptoms related cerebral palsy in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review

Hasan Bingöl 1 * , Esedullah Akaras 2, Hikmet Kocaman 3
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1 Department of Therapy and Rehabilitation, Vocational School of Health Service, Mus Alparslan University, Muş, Turkey
2 Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
3 Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Turkey
* Corresponding Author
J CLIN MED KAZ, Volume 4, Issue 58, pp. 6-14. https://doi.org/10.23950/1812-2892-JCMK-00775
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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this review was to systematically present the effectiveness of massage therapy on cerebral palsy related symptoms in children with cerebral palsy based on existing evidence. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted from inception to February 2020 using the following electronic databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Cochrane Library Database of Reviews of Effectiveness, Physiotherapy Evidence Database. To evaluate the articles concerning eligibility, a screening process was carried out by two reviewers. Summary of the studies including outcomes, measures, and results, and methodological quality of the studies were described according to the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine guidelines. Five studies with different conducting design met inclusion criteria were included to document the current body of evidence of massage therapy in children with cerebral palsy. Almost all of the included articles reported that massage therapy (with or without conventional physiotherapy) is effective to improve spastic/hypertonic muscles and gross motor functions. Besides, it was also found that massage therapy could be effective on comorbidities including pain, sleep disorder, and lower perception of life satisfaction.  Some of the included studies established the effects of massage therapy on comorbidities related to the cerebral palsy, whereas some of the studies directly demonstrated the effects of massage therapy on secondary problems related to The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health body structures/functions, and activity. Consequently, performing massage therapy (with or without physical therapy and/or routine therapy), would be effective to improve most of the symptoms related to cerebral palsy.
Keywords: cerebral palsy, spasticity, massage therapy, pain, children

CITATION

Bingöl H, Akaras E, Kocaman H. The effects of massage therapy on symptoms related cerebral palsy in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Medicine of Kazakhstan. 2020;4(58):6-14. https://doi.org/10.23950/1812-2892-JCMK-00775

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