Medial gastrocnemius specific force of adult men with spastic cerebral palsy.

Introduction: Muscle weakness determines functional impairment in spastic cerebral palsy (SCP). Measurement of specific force (SF) allows for strength comparison with unimpaired populations (controls) accounting for neural (activation and coactivation), architectural (fascicle length and pennation angle), and structural differences (moment arm length).

Methods: Medial gastrocnemius (MG) SF (and its determinants) was assessed in both paretic and non-paretic legs of 11 men with SCP and 11 age-matched controls during plantarflexion maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).

Muscle size, activation, and coactivation in adults with cerebral palsy.

Introduction: Muscle weakness is present in the paretic limbs of individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). We aimed to determine what neuromuscular factors contribute to weakness in adults with CP during isometric maximal voluntary contractions (iMVCs).

Methods: Gastrocnemius anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA) and agonist and antagonist activation were measured in 11 CP and 11 control adult men during plantarflexion iMVC.