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Published on: August 30, 2016
Thorax and pelvis kinematics during walking, a comparison between children with and without cerebral palsy: A
Eva Swinnen1,2, Laura Vander Goten1, Berdien De Koster1
1Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Rehabilitation Research (RERE), Brussel, Belgium.
Insights
Children with bilateral cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit greater trunk movement during walking, potentially impacting dynamic stability. Further research is needed for unilateral CP, as findings were less conclusive.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often display impaired postural control and abnormal trunk movements, indicating reduced dynamic stability.
- These kinematic alterations in the thorax and pelvis are key indicators of functional limitations in CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare three-dimensional thorax and pelvis motion during walking between children with CP and typically developing (TD) children.
- To investigate kinematic differences in trunk movement patterns associated with cerebral palsy.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of three electronic databases was conducted.
- Ten studies involving 259 children with CP and 220 TD children were included.
- Methodological quality was assessed using the Strobe checklist.
Main Results:
- Children with bilateral CP demonstrated significantly increased range of motion in the thorax, pelvis, and spine during walking compared to TD peers.
- The kinematic alterations in children with unilateral CP were less pronounced and require further investigation.
- Included studies reported methodological quality scores ranging from 32% to 74%.
Conclusions:
- Children with bilateral CP exhibit larger trunk movement amplitudes during gait, potentially affecting dynamic stability.
- The observed kinematic differences highlight potential targets for therapeutic interventions in CP.
- Further research is recommended to clarify the gait kinematics in children with unilateral CP.
Background:
Dysfunctional postural control and pathological thorax and pelvis motions are often observed in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and can be considered as an indicator of diminished dynamic stability.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to identify the differences between children with CP and typically developing children in three-dimensional thorax and pelvis kinematics during walking.
Methods:
Three electronic databases were searched by using different combinations of keywords. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed by two researchers with the Strobe quality checklist.
Results:
Ten studies (methodological quality: 32% to 74%) with in total 259 children with CP and 220 typically developing children (mean age: 7.6 to 13.6 year) were included. Compared to typically developing children, children with bilateral CP showed an increased range of motion of the thorax, pelvis and spine during walking. The results of the children with unilateral CP were less clear.
Conclusion:
In general, children with bilateral CP showed larger movement amplitudes of the trunk compared to children without CP. This increase in movement amplitudes could influence the dynamic stability of the body during walking. In children with unilateral CP, the results were less obvious and further research on this topic is required.
