Highlights
- •Asymmetry in unilateral cerebral palsy may cause various postural deformities.
- •Scoliosis was observed in 40% of unilateral cerebral palsy children/youths.
- •Children/youths with unilateral cerebral palsy with scoliosis were older.
- •Kyphosis and lumbar lordosis angles were similar in both groups.
Abstract
Background
Children/youths with unilateral cerebral palsy are at high risk for the development
of scoliosis and other postural deformities. The purpose of this study was to perform
spinal assessment in the frontal and sagittal plane using Spinal Mouse® in children/youths
with unilateral cerebral palsy and to compare their spinal shape and angles with typically
developing children/youths.
Methods
25 children/youths with unilateral cerebral palsy and 25 typical children/youths,
aged 6–18 years, were included. The subject's frontal (scoliosis) and sagittal plane
(kyphosis and lordosis) spinal curvatures were compared by assessing them with Spinal
Mouse®.
Findings
Scoliosis was detected in 40% of subjects in the unilateral cerebral palsy group and
this rate was considerably higher than that in typical subjects (12%). The median
angle of scoliosis was 8° in subjects with unilateral cerebral palsy and 5.3° in typical
subjects. While the median angle of scoliosis was higher in subjects with unilateral
cerebral palsy than typical subjects (p < 0.001), there was no significant difference in the angles of lordosis and kyphosis
between both groups (p > 0.05). Curvature patterns of subjects with unilateral cerebral palsy differed from
typical subjects.
Interpretation
Our findings will allow children/youths with unilateral cerebral palsy, who are at
risk of developing spinal deformity, to be identified earliest possible and included
in the intervention. Children/youths with unilateral cerebral palsy have to be assessed
in detail from the earliest period, especially when the possibility of an age-related
increase in scoliosis is considered.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 17, 2022
Accepted:
October 11,
2022
Received:
June 22,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
