Added Effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF) along with Conventional Physiotherapy on Hand-Eye Coordination and Upper Limb Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of non-progressive neurodevelopmental disorder defined by impairments in movement and posture resulting in difficulties in upper limb function and hand-eye coordination. Poor trunk control and inadequate activation of trunk extensor muscles adversely affect reaching activities and functional use of the upper limbs in children with CP. Conventional physiotherapy focuses on trunk strengthening, balance training, and postural control; however, evidence regarding improving  of hand-eye coordination through improved trunk stability remains limited. This experimental study aims to asses the added effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) combined with conventional physiotherapy compared to conventional physiotherapy alone on hand-eye coordination and upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy. A total of 40 children aged 3–18 years diagnosed with cerebral palsy will be recruited from hospital OPDs and special schools and randomly allocated into two groups. Group A will receive conventional physiotherapy, while Group B will receive PNF along with conventional physiotherapy for 4 weeks (3 sessions/week). Hand-eye coordination will be assessed using the Purdue Pegboard Test and CogniFit software, upper limb function using the ABILHAND-Kids scale additionally trunk control using the Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS).Pre- and post-intervention outcomes will be analyzed using appropriate parametric or non-parametric statistical tests. The findings of this study may provide evidence for integrating PNF techniques into rehabilitation programs to enhance trunk control, hand-eye coordination, and functional upper limb performance in children with cerebral palsy.