Rehabilitation effect of aquatic exercise on motor function in children with cerebral palsy: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Background Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a lasting motor impairment resulting from atypical brain development or injury. Aquatic exercise (AE) is frequently utilized as an approach for rehabilitating children with CP because of its appealing water properties. Objective The aim of this study was to examine how AE influences motor skills in children affected by CP. Methods Systematic searches of databases provided randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from their inception up until May 22, 2024. The study compared the impacts of AE training with those of routine rehabilitation training (RRT). A random-effects model was employed to assess the aggregated data. Results In total, 491 articles were retrieved, and 15 studies ( n = 595 patients) were included in this study. Compared with RRT, AE improved the gross motor function of children with CP ( SMD = 7.63, 95% CI 5.79–9.47, P < 0.01), especially in the lying and turning over positions ( SMD = 15.66, 95% CI 13.85–17.46, P < 0.01). AE also reduced muscle tension ( SMD = −0.75, 95% CI −1.03–−0.47, P < 0.01). Conclusions AE is expected to improve motor function in children with CP. Moreover, this study emphasizes the need for future high-quality related studies to supplement the results and improve the conclusions.