Hands Support and Postural Oscillation During Sit-to-Stand Movement in Children With Cerebral Palsy and Typical...

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Neurology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often exhibit altered motor control and balance.
• Sit-to-stand (STS) is a fundamental functional movement that challenges postural stability.
• Understanding compensatory strategies in CP is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare hand weight-bearing during STS in children with CP versus typical children (TC).
• To assess the impact of hand support on postural oscillation during STS.
• To investigate the relationship between hand weight-bearing and postural oscillation in children with CP.

Main Methods:

• Twenty children with CP (GMFCS levels I-II) and 35 TC performed STS with and without hand support.
• Weight-bearing on hands was measured during STS.
• Postural oscillation was quantified using kinematic analysis.
• Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, and Spearman correlation tests.

Main Results:

• Children with CP exhibited significantly greater weight-bearing on their hands during STS compared to TC.
• Anterior hand support reduced postural oscillation in the second phase of STS for both groups.
• In the CP group, increased hand weight-bearing correlated with decreased postural oscillation at the start of STS.

Conclusions:

• Children with CP utilize increased hand weight-bearing as a compensatory strategy during STS.
• Hand support can mitigate postural instability during STS in both CP and TC.
• Both groups modulate postural control during STS, but potentially through different sensory-motor pathways.