Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026
Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty
Published on: October 6, 2016
WalkAide Efficacy on Gait and Energy Expenditure in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled
Shamekh Mohamed El-Shamy1, Ashraf Abdelaal Mohamed Abdelaal
1From the Department of Physical Therapy for Disturbance of Growth and Development in Children and its Surgery (SME-S), and Department of Physical Therapy for Cardiovascular/Respiratory Disorder and Geriatrics (AAMA), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Insights
Functional electrical stimulation using WalkAide significantly improved gait patterns and reduced energy expenditure in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, offering a promising therapeutic tool.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Pediatric Physical Therapy
Background:
- Hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) often results in impaired gait patterns and increased energy expenditure.
- Conventional physical therapy provides some benefits but may not fully address gait abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of WalkAide functional electrical stimulation (FES) in improving gait parameters and energy expenditure in children with hemiplegic CP.
- To compare the outcomes of WalkAide FES with conventional physical therapy.
Main Methods:
- A study group of 17 children with hemiplegic CP received WalkAide FES (300 μs pulse width, 33 Hz frequency, 2 hours/day, 3 days/week for 3 months).
- A control group of 17 children received conventional physical therapy for the same duration.
- Gait parameters were assessed using the GAITRite system, and energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry before and after the treatment period.
Main Results:
- The WalkAide FES group demonstrated significant improvements in gait parameters, including increased stride length, speed, and stance phase percentage, compared to the control group.
- The study group showed a trend towards reduced energy expenditure (8.18 ± 0.88 mL/kg/min) compared to the control group (9.16 ± 0.65 mL/kg/min).
- Specific gait parameter improvements in the study group included: stride length (0.74 m), cadence (119 steps/min), speed (0.75 m/s), cycle time (0.65 s), and stance phase percentage (55.9%).
Conclusions:
- WalkAide functional electrical stimulation appears to be an effective intervention for enhancing gait patterns in children with hemiplegic CP.
- The findings suggest that WalkAide FES can positively impact both gait mechanics and energy efficiency during ambulation.
- This technology offers a valuable addition to the therapeutic strategies for managing gait abnormalities in this population.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of WalkAide functional electrical stimulation on gait pattern and energy expenditure in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
Design:
Seventeen children were assigned to the study group, whose members received functional electrical stimulation (pulse width, 300 μs; frequency, 33 Hz, 2 hours/d, 3 days/week for 3 consecutive months). Seventeen other children were assigned to the control group, whose members participated in a conventional physical therapy exercise program for 3 successive months. Baseline and posttreatment assessments were performed using the GAITRite system to evaluate gait parameters and using an open-circuit indirect calorimeter to evaluate energy expenditure.
Results:
Children in the study group showed a significant improvement when compared with those in the control group (P < 0.005). The gait parameters (stride length, cadence, speed, cycle time, and stance phase percentage) after treatment were (0.74 m,119 steps/min, 0.75 m/s, 0.65 s, 55.9%) and (0.5 m,125 steps/min, 0.6 m/s, 0.49 s, 50.4%) for the study group and control group, respectively. The mean energy expenditures after treatment were 8.18 ± 0.88 and 9.16 ± 0.65 mL/kg per minute for the study and control groups, respectively.
Conclusions:
WalkAide functional electrical stimulation may be a useful tool for improving gait pattern and energy expenditure in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
To Claim Cme Credits:
Complete the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME CME OBJECTIVES:: Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (1) Identify gait abnormalities in children with hemiplegic CP; (2) Describe the impact of utilizing the WalkAide on energy expenditure during gait training in children with hemiplegic CP; and (3) Describe the benefits of including the WalkAide in the treatment of gait abnormalities in children with hemiplegic CP.
Level:
Advanced
Accreditation:
: The Association of Academic Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Association of Academic Physiatrists designates this activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
