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 3 Evaluation of positioning responses by the Vojta method on the day of the third examination (after 6 months) in groups of preterm infants differing in gestational age and 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) | 11 [10; 11] | 10 [9; 11] | 9 [9; 9] | 10 [9; 11] | <0.001 | ||||
| Vojta reflexes | 0.017 | ||||||||
| Standard | 26 | 53.1% | 20 | 39.2% | 34 | 68.0% | 32 | 64.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 23 | 46.9% | 31 | 60.8% | 16 | 32.0% | 18 | 36.0% | |
| Traction test | 0.038 | ||||||||
| Standard | 40 | 81.6% | 42 | 82.4% | 48 | 96.0% | 47 | 94.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 9 | 18.4% | 9 | 17.6% | 2 | 4.0% | 3 | 6.0% | |
| Peiper-Isbert vertical suspension reflex | <0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 28 | 57.1% | 36 | 70.6% | 48 | 96.0% | 48 | 96.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 21 | 42.9% | 15 | 29.4% | 2 | 4.0% | 2 | 4.0% | |
| Collis’ vertical suspension reflex | 0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 31 | 63.3% | 37 | 72.5% | 44 | 88.0% | 46 | 92.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 18 | 36.7% | 14 | 27.5% | 6 | 12.0% | 4 | 8.0% | |
| Collis’ horizontal suspension reflex | 0.001 | ||||||||
| Standard | 29 | 59.2% | 31 | 60.8% | 42 | 84.0% | 43 | 86.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 20 | 40.8% | 20 | 39.2% | 8 | 16.0% | 7 | 14.0% | |
| Landau reflex | 0.144 | ||||||||
| Standard | 36 | 73.5% | 35 | 68.6% | 43 | 86.0% | 41 | 82.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 13 | 26.5% | 16 | 31.4% | 7 | 14.0% | 9 | 18.0% | |
| Axillary suspension reflex | 0.005 | ||||||||
| Standard | 22 | 44.9% | 37 | 72.5% | 29 | 58.0% | 38 | 76.0% | |
| Abnormal response | 27 | 55.1% | 14 | 27.5% | 21 | 42.0% | 12 | 24.0% | |
| 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. | |||||||||