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Changes in Ankle Range of Motion, Gait Function and Standing Balance in Children with Bilateral Spastic Cerebral
Pong Sub Youn1, Kyun Hee Cho2, Shin Jun Park3
1Department of Physical Therapy, Kyungbok University, Namyangju-si 425, Korea.
Insights
Ankle joint mobilization significantly improved ankle range of motion and gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This therapy offers a promising approach for enhancing mobility and function in affected children.
Area of Science:
- Physical Therapy
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) often involves impaired ankle range of motion (ROM), affecting gait and balance.
- Limited ankle dorsiflexion is a common challenge in children with spastic diplegia, a subtype of CP.
- Current interventions aim to improve motor function, but targeted ankle interventions require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of ankle joint mobilization on ankle ROM, gait, and standing balance in children with CP.
- To compare the effects of active ankle joint mobilization versus sham mobilization.
- To evaluate changes in passive dorsiflexion, center of pressure (COP) measures, and functional mobility tests.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 32 children with spastic diplegia CP.
- Participants were allocated to either an ankle joint mobilization group (n=16) or a sham mobilization group (n=16).
- Intervention duration was six weeks, followed by assessments of passive ankle dorsiflexion, COP sway (eyes open/closed), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and 10-m walk test.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements in passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM were observed in the mobilization group compared to the sham group.
- The ankle joint mobilization group demonstrated significant improvements in TUG test and 10-m walk test performance.
- No significant differences were noted in COP displacements between the groups, suggesting balance improvements may require further investigation or different measures.
Conclusions:
- Ankle joint mobilization is a promising therapeutic approach for enhancing ankle dorsiflexion in children with CP.
- This intervention can lead to significant improvements in gait parameters, including speed and functional mobility.
- Further research is warranted to explore long-term effects and potential impacts on standing balance.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle joint mobilization in children with cerebral palsy (CP) to ankle range of motion (ROM), gait, and standing balance. We recruited 32 children (spastic diplegia) diagnosed with CP and categorized them in two groups: the ankle joint mobilization (n = 16) group and sham joint mobilization (n = 16) group. Thus, following a six-week ankle joint mobilization, we examined measures such as passive ROM in ankle dorsiflexion in the sitting and supine position, center of pressure (COP) displacements (sway length, area) with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC), and a gait function test (timed up and go test (TUG) and 10-m walk test). The dorsiflexion ROM, TUG, and 10-m walk test significantly increased in the mobilization group compared to the control group. Ankle joint mobilization can be regarded as a promising method to increase dorsiflexion and improve gait in CP-suffering children.
