The Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Heart Rate Variability in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Participants with cerebral palsy will undergo four experimental sessions on separate days in a randomized order. Each session will include either spinal manipulation or a sham intervention. Two sessions will involve spinal manipulation and two sessions will involve sham procedures. Before and after each intervention, heart rate variability (HRV) will be measured under standardized conditions. The primary HRV parameter analyzed will be RMSSD, a time-domain measure reflecting vagal modulation of heart rate. The crossover design allows each participant to serve as their own control, reducing inter-individual variability. The study focuses on the immediate autonomic effects of spinal manipulation.