Muscle activity in children with spastic unilateral cerebral palsy when walking with ankle-foot orthoses: an explorative study.

Background: A hinged ankle-foot orthosis is prescribed for children with spastic unilateral cerebral palsy to improve gait function by correcting spastic equinus. However, little is known about how orthotic management relates to muscle activity during walking in this population.

Research Question: Does muscle activity in medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior change in children with spastic unilateral cerebral palsy when walking with hinged ankle-foot orthoses featuring two different footplate designs?

Methods: In this prospective, repeated-measures trial, electromyographic activity in medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior was recorded from 17 children (mean age: 8.

Preoperative gait analysis has a substantial effect on orthopedic decision making in children with cerebral palsy: comparison between clinical evaluation and gait analysis in 60 patients.

Background: There is still some debate regarding the role of 3-dimensional gait analysis in routine preoperative evaluation of children with cerebral palsy. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate to what extent introduction of 3-D gait analysis changes preoperative surgical planning.

Method: Before gait analysis, 60 ambulatory children aged 10 (4-18) years with spastic cerebral palsy had a specific surgical plan outlined, based on clinical examination by orthopedic surgeons.