Foot reflexes and the use of the "inhibitive cast"

The four diametrically opposed tonic reflex movements of the foot that can be elicited in normal children throughout the first year represent the peripheral segments of proximally cascaded reflex balance recovery systems. Clinical persistence of one or more of these obligatory movements in cerebral palsied children may habitually distort foot posture and recruit proximal reflex muscle activity and associated hypertonus. Inhibitive casting has proved to be a significant useful adjunct for management of both foot deformity and associated proximal hypertonicity.