Effect of Botox and Vibration on Bone in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neuromuscular disorder that affects approximately 800,000 individuals in the U.S. An estimated 70-80% of these individuals have spasticity which affects ambulation and requires management. Therefore, the treatment of spasticity is a primary goal of interventions for children with CP. One treatment widely used to reduce spasticity is Botox because of its ability to temporarily paralyze a muscle. However, no studies have determined the effect of Botox treatment on bone in humans. Also, a low magnitude vibration treatment has been shown to improve bone structure in the lower extremity bones of children with CP. The aims of this study are: 1) to determine the effect of Botox treatment in conjunction with a daily vibration treatment on bone mass and bone structure in children with spastic CP, and 2) to identify the mechanism that underlies the effect of Botox and vibration on bone.