Effects of Remote Ischemic Conditioning (RIC) Combined With Balance Training on Spinal Reflex Modulation in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Behavioral
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a clinically feasible intervention involving brief, sublethal periods of ischemia followed by reperfusion that has been shown to enhance motor performance, strength, and balance when combined with training in healthy adults and individuals with neurological conditions. Although RIC is thought to influence neuroplasticity through neural, metabolic, and humoral pathways, its effects on spinal-level mechanisms remain poorly understood. Emerging evidence indicates that neuroplastic adaptations occur not only at the cortical level but also within the spinal cord. Moreover, altered spinal reflex excitability is associated with spasticity, balance impairments, and functional limitations in children with cerebral palsy (CP), yet the role of spinal reflex modulations in response to RIC and balance training remains under expplored in this population. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of RIC combined with balance training on spinal reflex modulation in children with CP.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 8
Maximum Age: 17
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) between the ages 8-17 years

• Gross motor function classification system levels I-III

• Mainstream in school and has sufficient cognition to follow the experiment instructions

Locations
United States
North Carolina
East Carolina University
RECRUITING
Greenville
Contact Information
Primary
Swati M Surkar, PhD
surkars19@ecu.edu
2527446244
Time Frame
Start Date: 2025-07-28
Estimated Completion Date: 2026-12-31
Participants
Target number of participants: 16
Treatments
Experimental: Remote Ischemic Conditioning (RIC)
RIC is achieved via blood pressure cuff inflation to at least 20 mmHg above systolic blood pressure to 200 mmHg on the thigh of more affected lower extremity. RIC involves 5 cycles of 5 minutes blood pressure cuff inflation followed by alternating 5 minutes of cuff deflation and requires 45 minutes. RIC is performed on visits 1 - 5.
Sham_comparator: Sham conditioning
Sham conditioning is achieved via blood pressure cuff inflation to 25 mm Hg on the thigh of the more affected LE. Sham involves 5 cycles of 5 minutes blood pressure cuff inflation followed by alternating 5 minutes of cuff deflation and requires 45 minutes. Sham conditioning is performed on visits 1-5.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Leads: East Carolina University

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov