Influence of Crouch Angle on Postural Stability in Quiet Stance and Functional Tasks Among Children with Cerebral...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Pediatric Orthopedics
• Neurorehabilitation

Background:

• Crouch gait is a common characteristic in ambulatory children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP).
• The degree of crouch can significantly impact a child's functional mobility and balance.
• Understanding the relationship between crouch angle and postural control is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate postural stability and functional task performance in children with spastic CP.
• To compare outcomes between younger (<12 years) and older (>12 years) children.
• To differentiate findings based on the severity of crouch angle (lesser <25° vs. greater >25°).

Main Methods:

• Assessed postural stability and functional tasks in 53 ambulatory children with spastic CP.
• Categorized participants into younger (<12 yr) and older (>12 yr) age groups.
• Quantified crouch severity using angle measurements (<25° vs. >25°).

Main Results:

• Children with greater crouch angles showed significantly higher center of pressure displacement during gait (p < .01).
• A strong association was found between severe crouch angle and poorer performance on stair climbing (r = 0.732; p < .05) and the Timed-Up-and-Go test (r = 0.84; p < .01).
• Greater crouch angle correlated moderately with reduced postural stability in quiet stance (r = 0.528; p < .01) and strongly with functional task deficits (r = 0.7-0.84; p < .05).

Conclusions:

• Increased crouch angle in children with spastic CP is linked to diminished postural stability.
• Severe crouch significantly impairs functional mobility, including stair climbing and gait.
• These findings underscore the importance of addressing crouch gait to improve functional outcomes in children with CP.