Position Between Trunk and Pelvis During Gait Depending on the Gross Motor Function Classification System.

Purpose: To understand whether there is a trunk postural control threshold in the sagittal plane for the transition between the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels measured with 3-dimensional gait analysis.

Method: Kinematics from 97 children with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy from spine angles according to Plug-In Gait model (Vicon) were plotted relative to their GMFCS level.

Results: Only average and minimum values of the lumbar spine segment correlated with GMFCS levels.

Can Clinical Assessment of Locomotive Body Function Explain Gross Motor Environmental Performance in Cerebral Palsy?

Gross Motor Function Classification System has discriminative purposes but does not assess short-term therapy goals. Locomotion Stages (LS) classify postural body functions and independent activity components. Assessing the relation between Gross Motor Function Classification System level and Locomotion Stages will make us understand if clinical assessment can explain and predict motor environmental performance in cerebral palsy.