Abstract
Background
Gait in young people with cerebral palsy is inefficient and there is a lack of relevant
indicators for monitoring the problem. In particular, the impact of gait kinematics
on gait efficiency is not well documented. The aim of this study is to examine the
relationship between gait efficiency, gait kinematics, lower limb muscle strength,
and muscular spasticity in adolescents with cerebral palsy.
Methods
Ten ambulatory adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy were recruited. The energy
expenditure index during gait, gait kinematics, flexion and extension knee isometric
muscle strength, and quadriceps spasticity were assessed.
Findings
Energy expenditure index (1.5 (0.7) beats/m) was strongly correlated with the ankle
and knee flexion/extension ranges of motion (r= −0.82, P<0.01 and r= −0.70, P<0.02, respectively) and also with maximal plantar flexion (r=0.74, P<0.05) during gait. Knee flexion strength was the only strength measurement correlated
with energy expenditure index (r= −0.85; P<0.01).
Interpretation
This study suggests that ankle and knee flexion/extension ranges of motion during
gait are key kinematics factors in gait efficiency in adolescents with cerebral palsy.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 26, 2010
Accepted:
June 14,
2010
Received:
January 30,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
