Impact of Structured Physiotherapy Rehabilitation on Muscle Strength and Functional Capacity in Children with Acute Malnutrition Admitted to a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre
Abstract: Background: Acute malnutrition during the preschool years is associated with significant skeletal muscle wasting, reduced neuromuscular activation, and delayed gross motor function. While nutritional rehabilitation restores metabolic balance and body weight, recovery of muscle strength and functional motor performance may remain incomplete without structured physical rehabilitation. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a six-week structured physiotherapy rehabilitation program on muscle strength and gross motor function in children aged 3?5 years diagnosed with acute malnutrition and admitted to a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC). Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 100 children aged 3?5 years with moderate or severe acute malnutrition according to WHO criteria. Participants were randomly allocated into intervention The intervention group received structured physiotherapy sessions for 35 minutes per day, five days per week, for six weeks. Outcome measures included Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) and Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM). Statistical analysis was performed using paired and independent t-tests with significance set at p
Keywords: Acute malnutrition, Physiotherapy rehabilitation, GMFM, Muscle strength, Preschool children, Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre
How to Cite?: Dr. Anjali Mehta, Dr. Reshma Khurana, "Impact of Structured Physiotherapy Rehabilitation on Muscle Strength and Functional Capacity in Children with Acute Malnutrition Admitted to a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre", Volume 15 Issue 2, February 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1137-1141, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26218110316, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26218110316