Trunk movements during gait in cerebral palsy

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Pediatric Neurology
• Gait Analysis

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) research has focused on lower limb deficits during gait.
• Upper body (trunk) movement in CP gait remains understudied.
• Understanding trunk movement is crucial for a comprehensive gait analysis in CP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize trunk movement in children with CP.
• To investigate trunk movement patterns based on CP type (diplegia/hemiplegia).
• To analyze trunk movement in relation to Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels (1-3).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 141 gait analyses from 92 children with CP.
• Extracted kinematic parameters of trunk (thorax and spine angles) in sagittal, transverse, and coronal planes.
• Compared range of motion and mean positions between CP subtypes, GMFCS levels, and typically developing participants.

Main Results:

• Thorax and spine range of motion showed significant group differences.
• Higher levels of CP impairment correlated with increased thorax range of motion.
• Diplegic CP and GMFCS level 3 showed greater range of motion in most planes.

Conclusions:

• Increased thorax range of motion during gait is associated with greater impairment in cerebral palsy.
• The trunk's role in CP gait is significant and warrants further investigation.
• This study provides valuable insights into upper body kinematics in pediatric CP gait.