Gait Analysis in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Are Plantar Pressure Insoles a Reliable Tool?

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Biomechanics
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Cerebral palsy (CP) is a primary cause of motor disability in children.
• Pedobarography offers a non-invasive, portable method to assess foot-soil interaction and gait deviations.
• Reliability data for pedobarography in children with CP is currently limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the test-retest reliability of plantar pressure insole variables in children with CP.
• To determine the minimal detectable change (MDC) for these variables.
• To establish the clinical utility of pedobarography for this population.

Main Methods:

• Eight children diagnosed with CP participated in the study.
• Plantar pressure data were collected using foot insoles over two separate trials.
• Trials were conducted approximately 8 ± 2.5 days apart.
• Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to analyze whole and segmented foot measurements.
• Standard error of measurement (SEM) and MDC were calculated to assess data variability.

Main Results:

• Pedobarography demonstrated high test-retest reliability for most plantar pressure variables (ICC ≥ 0.60).
• Reliability ranged from good to excellent across different measurements.
• Calculated SEM and MDC values were low, indicating minimal measurement error.
• Observed variability between sessions may stem from the diverse sub-diagnoses within the CP group.

Conclusions:

• Pedobarography is a reliable tool for assessing plantar pressure in children with CP.
• The method provides consistent data, supporting its use in clinical settings.
• Low MDC values suggest sensitivity in detecting meaningful changes in gait parameters.