Effects of Participation in Sports Programs on Walking Ability and Endurance Over Time in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Objective: Children with cerebral palsy may benefit from maintaining a high level of physical fitness similar to typically developing children especially in terms of long-term physical performance, although in practice this is often difficult. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of participation in sports programs on walking ability and endurance over time.

Design: A retrospective cohort study included participants with cerebral palsy, aged 6 to 20 yrs, who attended a summer sports program from 2004 to 2012.

PREDICTING FOOT PROGRESSION ANGLE DURING GAIT USING TWO CLINICAL MEASURES IN HEALTHY ADULTS, A PRELIMINARY STUDY.

Background: The foot progression angle (FPA) is related to the transverse plane rotation of the lower extremities and associated with many lower extremity conditions.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how two commonly used clinical measures, tibio-fibular torsion (TF) and hip rotation, can be used to predict FPA during gait in healthy adults.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study design.

Reliability of sagittal plane hip, knee, and ankle joint angles from a single frame of video data using the GAITRite camera system.

The purpose of this study was to establish intra-rater, intra-session, and inter-rater, reliability of sagittal plane hip, knee, and ankle angles with and without reflective markers using the GAITRite walkway and single video camera between student physical therapists and an experienced physical therapist. This study included thirty-two healthy participants age 20-59, stratified by age and gender. Participants performed three successful walks with and without markers applied to anatomical landmarks.

Changes in muscle activation following ankle strength training in children with spastic cerebral palsy: an electromyography feasibility case report.

ABSTRACT Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are likely to experience decreased participation in activities and less competence in activities of daily living. Studies of children with spastic CP have shown that strengthening programs produce positive results in strength, gait, and functional outcomes (measured by the Gross Motor Function Measure). No investigations have analyzed electromyography (EMG) activity before and after strength training to determine whether any changes occur in the GMFM.

A new manual muscle test for assessing the entire trapezius muscle.

Unlabelled: Manual muscle testing (MMT), the trapezius muscle is an important part of the examination in patients with upper extremity dysfunction or pain.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a new MMT that assesses the entire trapezius muscle instead of the usual method of separating it into three different parts. The new trapezius MMT is similar to the serratus anterior muscle test; however, the testing is performed in the frontal versus sagittal plane.

Robotics and gaming to improve ankle strength, motor control, and function in children with cerebral palsy--a case study series.

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of game-based robotic training of the ankle in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The design was a case study, 12 weeks intervention, with no follow-up. The setting was a university research laboratory.

Therapy incorporating a dynamic wrist-hand orthosis versus manual assistance in chronic stroke: a pilot study.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of therapy using a wrist-hand orthosis (WHO) versus manual-assisted therapy (MAT) for individuals with chronic, moderate-to-severe hemiparesis. The relationship between the repetitions during therapy and functional change was also examined.

Methods: Nineteen participants were randomly assigned to either the WHO group (n = 10) or the MAT group (n = 9).

Comparison of 3 different methods to analyze ankle plantarflexor stiffness in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

Objective: To compare 3 different methods of measuring plantarflexor stiffness in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (CP) and children without disability.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Human performance laboratory.

Effects of a supported speed treadmill training exercise program on impairment and function for children with cerebral palsy.

Aim: To compare the effects of a supported speed treadmill training exercise program (SSTTEP) with exercise on spasticity, strength, motor control, gait spatiotemporal parameters, gross motor skills, and physical function.

Method: Twenty-six children (14 males, 12 females; mean age 9y 6mo, SD 2y 2mo) with spastic cerebral palsy (CP; diplegia, n=12; triplegia, n=2; quadriplegia n=12; Gross Motor Function Classification System levels II-IV) were randomly assigned to the SSTTEP or exercise (strengthening) group. After a twice daily, 2-week induction, children continued the intervention at home 5 days a week for 10 weeks.

Observation of amounts of movement practice provided during stroke rehabilitation.

Unlabelled: Lang CE, MacDonald JR, Reisman DS, Boyd L, Jacobson Kimberley T, Schindler-Ivens SM, Hornby TG, Ross SA, Scheets PL. Observation of amounts of movement practice provided during stroke rehabilitation.

Objective: To investigate how much movement practice occurred during stroke rehabilitation, and what factors might influence doses of practice provided.

Use of relative phase as a measure of motor control at the ankle in persons with cerebral palsy: a preliminary study.

This investigation developed a measure of motor control at the ankle for persons with CP using relative phase. Twenty-nine subjects, 14 with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (CP group) and 15 without disability (WD group) were tested once. Video data were collected as a seated subject performed four full range of ankle plantar and dorsiflexion movement tasks (right ankle, left ankle, ankles in-phase with each other, and ankles antiphase to each other) at four different frequencies (self-paced, 0.

Relationships between spasticity, strength, gait, and the GMFM-66 in persons with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

Objective: To determine the relationships between spasticity, strength, and the functional measures of gait and gross motor function in persons with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (CP).

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Setting: Hospital clinic.

Predicting functional change from preintervention measures in selective dorsal rhizotomy.

Object: In this investigation the authors attempted to predict change in function following selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) and intensive physical therapy in patients with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP) based on multidomain preintervention measures.

Methods: Data pertaining to 22 children with CP were collected before the SDR and again 20 months afterward. Although equations for predicting change in gait speed and function (such as the Gross Motor Function Measure) were derived, the 95% confidence interval (CI) widths were too broad to make accurate predictions that were clinically useful outside the study group.

Increasing ankle strength to improve gait and function in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study.

Purpose: This pilot study was designed to determine whether increases in ankle strength could improve gait and function in children with spastic diplegia.

Methods: Data were obtained from 12 children with spastic diplegia who were assigned randomly to a dorsiflexor group, a plantarflexor group, a dorsi- and plantarflexor group, or a control group. Training group subjects participated in a 12-week strength program using an isokinetic dynamometer.

Effect of selective dorsal rhizotomy in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy.

Object: In this investigation the authors compared impairment and functional outcomes between two groups of children with cerebral palsy (CP): one group underwent selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) followed by intensive physical therapy (PT), and the other group underwent the latter only (PT group). Data from an age-matched group of children without disability (nondisabled [ND] group) were also collected.

Methods: Data pertaining to the 68 children with CP were collected before any intervention and again 8 and 20 months afterwards.

Comparison of three heel cord surgeries in children with cerebral palsy.

This nonrandomized prospective descriptive study compared outcomes of three isolated heel cord surgeries in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (CP): (1) heel cord advancement (HCA), (2) heel cord lengthening according to Vulpius (HCL-V), and (3) heel cord lengthening according to White (HCL-W). Thirty-two children were tested prior to and approximately 1 year after undergoing one of the three surgeries. Objective measures were collected for ankle passive and active range of motion, gross motor function measure (GMFM), and gait.

Prospective comparison of gait and trunk range of motion in adolescents with idiopathic thoracic scoliosis undergoing anterior or posterior spinal fusion.

Study Design: Prospective evaluation of gait and spinal range of motion (ROM) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients undergoing either an anterior or a posterior spinal fusion.

Objective: Compare changes in gait and spine ROM between AIS patients undergoing either an anterior or posterior spinal fusion.

Summary And Background Data: Problems with AIS posterior spinal fusion and attempts to minimize the number of spinal segments fused have led to the promotion of anterior spinal fusion.

Relation between spasticity and strength in individuals with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

The relation between spasticity and strength in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) has not been extensively researched. Knee and ankle spasticity and strength were quantified in a retrospective analysis of 60 individuals with spastic diplegic CP (mean age 12 years, range 3 to 38) and a group of 50 individuals without disabilities (WD group; mean age 12 years, range 4 to 36). Spasticity was measured using a KinCom dynamometer that stretched the passive knee flexors or ankle plantarflexors at different speeds and recorded the amount of resistive torques.

Changes in hip spasticity and strength following selective dorsal rhizotomy and physical therapy for spastic cerebral palsy.

Hip adductor spasticity and strength in participants with cerebral palsy (CP) were quantified before and after selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) and intensive physical therapy. Twenty-four participants with cerebral palsy (CP group) and 35 non-disabled participants (ND controls) were tested with a dynamometer (OP group: mean age 8 years 5 months, 13 males, 11 females; ND group: mean age 8 years 6 months, 19 males, 16 females). According to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), of the 24 participants with CP, eight were at level I, six were at level II, and 10 participants were at level III.