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Compliance with walking aid use in children with cerebral palsy in India
1Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal College of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal, India.
Insights
Compliance with walking aids in children with cerebral palsy averaged 49.1%. Reciprocal walkers showed higher compliance than elbow crutches or gutter walkers, especially for shorter distances.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Cerebral palsy affects mobility in children.
- Assistive devices like walkers and crutches aid ambulation.
- Understanding compliance is crucial for effective rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess compliance with prescribed walking aids in Indian children with cerebral palsy.
- To identify factors influencing the use of walkers and elbow crutches.
Main Methods:
- A 3-month prospective descriptive study involving 50 ambulant children (6-16 years) with cerebral palsy.
- Caregiver logs recorded the frequency and distance of aid use during ambulation.
- Compliance defined as the number of times the aid was used.
Main Results:
- Overall mean compliance was 49.1%.
- Reciprocal walkers had the highest compliance (60.2%), while elbow crutches (34.9%) and gutter walkers (14.8%) had lower rates.
- Compliance was higher for shorter distances (50-100m: 57.5%) compared to longer distances (>150m: 25.9%).
Conclusions:
- Compliance with walking aids in children with cerebral palsy is moderate and varies significantly by device type and walking distance.
- Reciprocal walkers appear more compliant than other aids.
- Further research is needed to optimize adherence and improve functional mobility.
Abstract:
A 3-mo prospective descriptive study of 50 Indian ambulant children with cerebral palsy using different types of walkers or elbow crutches was done to determine compliance with use of the prescribed device. Children were between 6 and 16 yrs of age and of either sex. Data were collected by means of proxy log entries made by the child's caregivers throughout the day. The data collected consisted of the number of times and the distance the child walked each time with or without the prescribed walking aid. Compliance was taken as the number of times the child used the walking aid during ambulation. Overall mean compliance was 49.1%. Children using the reciprocal walker showed the greatest compliance (60.2%), whereas those using elbow crutches (34.9%) and walkers with gutter attachments (14.8%) showed the least. Compliance was greatest for distances of 50-100 m (57.5%), whereas it was the least for distances of >150 m (25.9%).
