Pediatr Phys Ther. 2025 Jul 16. doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000001220. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare the effects of 2 aquatic exercise protocols on the gait of children with cerebral palsy (CP), aged 6 to 8 years.METHODS: A randomized, controlled, and blind clinical trial, carried out with 16 children with CP classified to Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) II and III bilateral spastic, divided into a group of aquatic balance exercises group (BG) and a group of aquatic trunk exercises group (TG). The following assessments were completed before and after the intervention: 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Trunk Control Measurement Scale, Pediatric Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go, Dynamic Gait Index, and Child Health Questionnaire-Parent form 50.RESULTS: BG was superior to TG in 6MWT after the intervention. Improvement was observed in most outcomes in both groups.CONCLUSION: The protocols demonstrated positive effects on the outcomes analyzed, and BG performed better in the distance covered in 6MWT.PMID:40729688 | DOI:10.1097/PEP.0000000000001220