Feature Stories

Heartspring physical therapist Denise Begnoche conducts pilot study published in the Pediatric Physical Therapy Journal
March 14, 2007

Denise Begnoche and child Denise Begnoche, Heartspring physical therapist, conducted a pilot study in collaboration with Wichita State University and Ken Pitetti, PhD. The study, Effects of Traditional Treatment and Partial Body Weight Treadmill Training on the Motor Skills of Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy, was published in the Pediatric Physical Therapy Journal, Spring 2007 issue. This publication is the official journal of the Section of Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Five children who receive physical therapy from Heartspring Pediatric Services participated in the study by attending a therapy program for four weeks, three to four sessions per week, for two hours per session. Results of this study illustrate the positive effects of partial body weight supported treadmill training coupled with traditional physical therapy methods on stride length differences and motor skills of individual children with cerebral palsy.