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Trunk and hip muscle activation patterns are different during walking in young children with and without cerebral
Laura A Prosser1, Samuel C K Lee, Ann F VanSant
1Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bldg 10-CRC, 1-1469 10 Center Dr, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. laura.prosser@nih.gov
Insights
Young children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit excessive trunk and hip muscle activation during walking. This study found significant timing differences in muscle activity compared to typically developing children, highlighting impaired postural control.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Poor postural muscle control is a key impairment in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP).
- Understanding muscle activation patterns is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare trunk and hip muscle activity timing during walking in young children with CP versus typically developing (TD) children.
- To identify differences in muscle activation and coactivation patterns.
Main Methods:
- Observational study with 31 children (15 with CP, 16 TD), averaging 28.5 months of walking experience.
- Electromyographic data collected from 16 trunk and hip muscles during self-selected paced walking.
- Custom software used to determine muscle activity onset/offset; activation and coactivation analyzed for group differences.
Main Results:
- Children with CP showed greater overall muscle activation and coactivation (except external oblique) than TD children.
- Significant differences in the timing of muscle activation were observed across all analyzed muscles between the CP and TD groups.
- These findings suggest altered neuromuscular control strategies for postural stability in young children with CP.
Conclusions:
- Young children with CP display excessive and non-reciprocal trunk and hip muscle activation during gait compared to TD peers.
- Further research should explore interventions aimed at reducing aberrant muscle activity and enhancing postural muscle coordination in CP.
- Limitations include potential influence of deep muscle recordings and assistive device use in some participants.
Background:
Poor control of postural muscles is a primary impairment in people with cerebral palsy (CP).
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the timing characteristics of trunk and hip muscle activity during walking in young children with CP compared with children with typical development (TD).
Methods:
Thirty-one children (16 with TD, 15 with CP) with an average of 28.5 months of walking experience participated in this observational study. Electromyographic data were collected from 16 trunk and hip muscles as participants walked at a self-selected pace. A custom-written computer program determined onset and offset of activity. Activation and coactivation data were analyzed for group differences.
Results:
The children with CP had greater total activation and coactivation for all muscles except the external oblique muscle and differences in the timing of activation for all muscles compared with the TD group. The implications of the observed muscle activation patterns are discussed in reference to existing postural control literature.
Limitations:
The potential influence of recording activity from adjacent deep trunk muscles is discussed, as well as the influence of the use of an assistive device by some children with CP.
Conclusions:
Young children with CP demonstrate excessive, nonreciprocal trunk and hip muscle activation during walking compared with children with TD. Future studies should investigate the efficacy of treatments to reduce excessive muscle activity and improve coordination of postural muscles in CP.
