Can pedobarography predict the occurrence of heel rocker in children with lower limb spasticity?

Background: Pedobarography software calculates the centre-of-pressure trajectory in relation to the foot to quantify foot contact patterns. This study presents two new pedobarography measures using the centre-of-pressure trajectory to assess heel rocker.

Methods: To validate these pedobarography measures against 3D gait analysis, emed-x and Vicon Nexus gait analysis data were captured from 25 children aged 8-16 years (11 male) with unilateral (n = 18) and bilateral (n = 7) cerebral palsy or acquired brain injury.

Role of mechanical factors in the clinical presentation of plantar heel pain: Implications for management.

Plantar heel pain is a common musculoskeletal foot disorder that can have a negative impact on activities of daily living and it is of multifactorial etiology. A variety of mechanical factors, which result in excessive load at the plantar fascia insertion, are thought to contribute to the onset of the condition. This review presents the evidence for associations between commonly assessed mechanical factors and plantar heel pain, which could guide management.

Vitamin K deficiency bleeding in Australian infants 1993-2017: an Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit study.

Objective: To undertake surveillance of vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) in Australia from 1993 to 2017, during a time of change to national recommendations and available vitamin K formulations.

Methods: Paediatricians reported cases of VKDB in infants aged <6 months and provided demographic, clinical and biochemical information via the Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit.

Results: 58 cases were reported, of which 5 (9%) were early, 11 (19%) classic and 42 (72%) late VKDB.

Surgical outcomes of cavovarus foot deformity in children with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) causes disabling cavovarus foot deformity. Orthopaedic surgery is performed in severe cases; however few studies have investigated whether surgery improves health outcomes during childhood. This study investigated the impact of cavovarus surgery on validated physical, functional, parent/self-reported and biomechanical measures in 21 consecutive patients (mean age at surgery 12.

Do data from child protective services and the police enhance modelling of perinatal risk for paediatric abusive head trauma? A retrospective case-control study.

Objectives: First, to investigate whether there is a relationship between a family being known to child protective services or police at the time of birth and the risk of abusive head trauma (AHT, formerly known as shaken baby syndrome). Second, to investigate whether data from child protective services or police improve a predictive risk model derived from health records.

Design: Retrospective case control study of child protective service and police records.

Epidemiology of paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome in Australia.

Objective: To estimate the paediatrician-diagnosed incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in Australia, and describe demographic and clinical features, as well as approaches to diagnosis and management.

Methods: The Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit facilitates monthly national surveillance of uncommon conditions seen by paediatricians. Data from young people aged <18 years diagnosed with CFS were collected.

Development and validation of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Infant Scale.

Many genetic subtypes of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) show signs of symptomatic disease during the earliest years of life. This might be the ideal time to intervene before progression of clinical sequelae due to demyelination and axonal loss. In the absence of disease-specific clinical trial outcome measures for CMT during infancy and early childhood the aim of this study was to develop and validate a functional measure of disease severity, known as the Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Infant Scale (CMTInfS).

Magnetic resonance imaging of the anterior compartment of the lower leg is a biomarker for weakness, disability, and impaired gait in childhood Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Introduction: Biomarkers of disease severity in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) are required to evaluate early responses to treatment. In this study we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the relationship between muscle volume and intramuscular fat accumulation with weakness, disability, and impaired gait in affected children and adolescents.

Methods: Fifty-five participants underwent MRI of the anterior compartment of the lower leg.

Safety and efficacy of progressive resistance exercise for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in children: a randomised, double-blind, sham-controlled trial.

Background: Exercise is potentially therapeutic for neuromuscular disorders, but a risk of harm exists due to overwork weakness. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of progressive resistance exercise for foot dorsiflexion weakness in children with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Methods: We did this randomised, double-blind, sham-controlled trial across the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network (NSW, Australia).

Impact of multilevel joint contractures of the hips, knees and ankles on the Gait Profile score in children with cerebral palsy.

Background: Children with cerebral palsy are at risk of developing muscle contractures, often contributing to pain, structural deformities and mobility limitations. With the increasing use of gait indices to summarise the findings of three dimensional gait analysis (3DGA), the purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between multilevel joint contractures and the Gait Profile Score in children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: The Gait Profile Score, calculated from 3D gait analysis, and passive range of motion, strength and spasticity of the hips, knees and ankles in the sagittal plane were measured in 145 children with cerebral palsy (mean age:11 years,4 months; SD:2 years,10 months) (83 males) enrolled in the NSW Paediatric Gait Analysis Service Research Registry from 2011 to 2016.

Reliability and correlates of cross-sectional area of abductor hallucis and the medial belly of the flexor hallucis brevis measured by ultrasound.

Background: Weakness of the intrinsic foot muscles is thought to produce deformity, disability and pain. Assessing intrinsic foot muscles in isolation is a challenge; however ultrasound might provide a solution. The aims of this study were to assess the reproducibility of assessing the size of abductor halluces (AbH) and the medial belly of flexor hallucis brevis (FHBM) muscles, and identify their relationship with toe strength, foot morphology and balance.

What are the similarities and differences between healthy people with and without pain?

Background And Aims: Knowledge of pain characteristics among the healthy population or among people with minimal pain-related disability could hold important insights to inform clinical practice and research. This study investigated pain prevalence among healthy individuals and compared psychosocial and physical characteristics between adults with and without pain.

Methods: Data were from 1,000 self-reported healthy participants aged 3-101 years (1,000 Norms Project).

Unique clinical and neurophysiologic profile of a cohort of children with CMTX3.

Objective: To describe in detail the clinical profile of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease subtype 3 (CMTX3) to aid appropriate genetic testing and rehabilitative therapy.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical and neurophysiologic profile and CMT Pediatric Scale (CMTPedS) assessments of 11 children with CMTX3.

Results: Compared with the more common forms of CMT, CMT1A and CMTX, CMTX3 was characterized by early onset with early and progressive hand weakness.

Research protocol for the Picture Talk Project: a qualitative study on research and consent with remote Australian Aboriginal communities.

Introduction: Research with Indigenous populations is not always designed with cultural sensitivity. Few publications evaluate or describe in detail seeking consent for research with Indigenous participants. When potential participants are not engaged in a culturally respectful manner, participation rates and research quality can be adversely affected.

Established and novel measures of upper limb impairment in children with Charcot-Marie-tooth disease type 1A and riboflavin transporter deficiency type 2.

Hand function is a problem in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) and Riboflavin Transporter Deficiency type 2 (RTD2). However, a detailed understanding of upper limb involvement in these conditions is lacking. The aim of this pilot study was to compare hand and upper limb function between children with CMT1A, RTD2 and healthy controls using established and novel outcome measures.

Cost-effectiveness of massively parallel sequencing for diagnosis of paediatric muscle diseases.

Childhood-onset muscle disorders are genetically heterogeneous. Diagnostic workup has traditionally included muscle biopsy, protein-based studies of muscle specimens, and candidate gene sequencing. High throughput or massively parallel sequencing is transforming the approach to diagnosis of rare diseases; however, evidence for cost-effectiveness is lacking.

Body composition and its association with physical performance, quality of life, and clinical indictors in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a pilot study.

Aim: To investigate whether the amount and distribution of lean body mass and fat mass is associated with disease severity in adults with Charcot-Marie Tooth.

Methods: Ten participants (age 46 ± 13 y, height 1.7 ± 0.

Natural history of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease during childhood.

Objective: To determine the rate of disease progression in a longitudinal natural history study of children with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease.

Methods: Two hundred six (103 female) participants aged 3 to 20 years enrolled in the Inherited Neuropathies Consortium were assessed at baseline and 2 years. Demographic, anthropometric, and diagnostic information were collected.

Spatiotemporal and plantar pressure patterns of 1000 healthy individuals aged 3-101 years.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to establish normative reference values for spatiotemporal and plantar pressure parameters, and to investigate the influence of demographic, anthropometric and physical characteristics.

Methods: In 1000 healthy males and females aged 3-101 years, spatiotemporal and plantar pressure data were collected barefoot with the Zeno™ walkway and Emed platform. Correlograms were developed to visualise the relationships between widely reported spatiotemporal and pressure variables with demographic (age, gender), anthropometric (height, mass, waist circumference) and physical characteristics (ankle strength, ankle range of motion, vibration perception) in children aged 3-9 years, adolescents aged 10-19 years, adults aged 20-59 years and older adults aged over 60 years.

A model to calculate the progression of the centre of pressure under the foot during gait analysis.

Pedobarography and the centre of pressure (COP) progression is useful to understand foot function. Pedobarography is often unavailable in gait laboratories or completed asynchronously to kinematic and kinetic data collection. This paper presents a model that allows calculation of COP progression synchronously using force plate data.

Gait patterns of children and adolescents with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Gait abnormalities reported in childhood Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) include foot-drop, reduced ankle power at push-off and increased knee and hip flexion for swing clearance ('steppage-gait'). The purpose of this study was to describe the gait patterns of 60 children aged 6-17 years with CMT (CMT) and distinguish differences based on functional weakness using the CMT Pediatric Scale (CMTPedS). Data were captured using Vicon Nexus system and compared to 50 healthy norms.

Relationship between physical performance and self-reported function in healthy individuals across the lifespan.

Background: Functional outcome measures in clinical trials of musculoskeletal conditions need to be meaningful to individuals.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between physical performance and self/proxy-reported function in 1000 healthy children and adults.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study (1000 Norms Project).

Clinical and Functional Characteristics of People With Chronic and Recent-Onset Plantar Heel Pain.

Background: Plantar heel pain is a common condition that reduces health-related quality of life. Recovery usually occurs within 12 months; however, up to 20% of people remain symptomatic beyond this time frame. The level of pain and function in this chronic heel pain group is not well described.