29 March 2025 : Clinical Research
The Role of the Vojta Method in Diagnosing and Enhancing Motor Skills in Preterm Infants: A Prospective Open-Label Controlled Study
Agata Trafalska
ABCDEF 1, Małgorzata Paprocka-Borowicz ABCDEFG 1*
DOI: 10.12659/MSM.945495
Med Sci Monit 2025; 31:e945495
Table 2 Evaluation of positioning responses by the Vojta method on the day of the second examination (after 3 months) in groups of preterm infants differing in gestational age, with results of comparisons.
| Features (variable) | Premature babies | Control group | P | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | |||||||
| N=49 | N=51 | N=50 | N=50 | ||||||
| Age on the day of the examination (months) | 7 [7; 7] | 7 [6; 8] | 6 [6; 6] | 7 [6; 7] | 0.004 | ||||
| Vojta reflexes | 0.011 | ||||||||
| Standard | 29 | 59.2% | 23 | 45.1% | 16 | 32.0% | 15 | 30.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 20 | 40.8% | 28 | 54.9% | 34 | 68.0% | 35 | 70.0% | |
| Traction test | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 29 | 59.2% | 33 | 64.7% | 48 | 96.0% | 48 | 96.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 20 | 40.8% | 18 | 35.3% | 2 | 4.0% | 2 | 4.0% | |
| Peiper-Isbert vertical suspension reflex | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 27 | 55.1% | 26 | 51.0% | 43 | 86.0% | 43 | 86.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 22 | 44.9% | 25 | 49.0% | 7 | 14.0% | 7 | 14.0% | |
| Collis’ vertical suspension reflex | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 4 | 8.2% | 8 | 15.7% | 30 | 60.0% | 31 | 62.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 45 | 91.8% | 43 | 84.3% | 20 | 40.0% | 19 | 38.0% | |
| Collis’ horizontal suspension reflex | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 4 | 8.2% | 8 | 15.7% | 30 | 60.0% | 31 | 62.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 45 | 91.8% | 43 | 84.3% | 20 | 40.0% | 19 | 38.0% | |
| Landau reflex | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 4 | 8.2% | 3 | 5.9% | 37 | 74.0% | 36 | 72.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 45 | 91.8% | 48 | 94.1% | 13 | 26.0% | 14 | 28.0% | |
| Axillary suspension reflex | 0.032 | ||||||||
| Standard | 22 | 44.9% | 29 | 56.9% | 28 | 56.0% | 37 | 74.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 27 | 55.1% | 22 | 43.1% | 22 | 44.0% | 13 | 26.0% | |
| Pearson’s chi-square test was applied to compare the frequency of normal and abnormal responses among groups; Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparing ages across groups. | |||||||||