Effect of treadmill training on balance after chemotherapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy of treadmill training in restoring balance after chemotherapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Sixty children of both sexes (29 boys and 31 girls), 8–12 years with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, were randomly assigned to three equal groups. Group A (n = 20) was treated with medication only, group B (n = 20) was treated with a conventional physical therapy program and medication, and group C (n = 20) was treated with treadmill training and medication. The Master and Biodex Systems were used to assess balance among the three groups both pre- and post-intervention. The rehabilitation program was applied in 3 sessions weekly for 8 weeks. The three groups demonstrated increasing improvements in all measurements, and the after-test mean values for all measurements revealed significant differences in favour of group B compared between groups A and B and in favour of group C compared between groups B and C (p < 0.05). Treadmill training was more effective than conventional physical therapy for improving balance in children with ALL after chemotherapy.