Mechanical work performed by the legs of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Max J Kurz; Wayne A Stuberg; Stacey L DeJong

doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2009.12.004

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Mechanical work performed by the legs of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Mechanical work performed by the legs of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Max J Kurz, Wayne A Stuberg and Stacey L DeJong

Gait & posture, Vol.31(3), pp.347-350

03/2010

DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2009.12.004

PMID: 20096588

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Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the work performed on the center of mass by the legs of children with cerebral palsy. 10 children that were diagnosed as having cerebral palsy with spastic diplegia (Age=9.1+/-2 years), and 10 healthy children with no walking disabilities participated (Age=9.4+/-2 years). We collected individual leg ground reaction forces from four force platforms, and calculated the mechanical work performed on the center of mass by the lead and trail legs. The normalized walking speeds were not significantly (p=0.33) different between the children with cerebral palsy (0.26+/-0.07) and the controls (0.28+/-0.06). The children with cerebral palsy performed significantly more negative work by the lead leg during double support (p=0.0004), and significantly less positive work by the trail leg (p<0.00001). During single support, the children with cerebral palsy performed significantly more positive work on the center of mass (p<0.00001). No significant differences were found for the amount of negative work performed by the leg in single support (p=0.84). Children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy show a diminished ability to appropriately perform mechanical work by the legs to lift and redirect the center of mass. The altered mechanical work performed by the legs on the center of mass may play a role in the higher metabolic cost for walking noted in children with cerebral palsy.

Humans

Cerebral Palsy - physiopathology

Male

Case-Control Studies

Walking - physiology

Biomechanical Phenomena

Analysis of Variance

Gait Disorders, Neurologic - physiopathology

Adolescent

Female

Muscle Spasticity - physiopathology

Locomotion - physiology

Child

Details

Title: Subtitle: Mechanical work performed by the legs of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy
Creators: Max J Kurz - Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Department, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. mkurz@unmc.edu
Wayne A Stuberg
Stacey L DeJong
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Gait & posture, Vol.31(3), pp.347-350
Publisher: England
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2009.12.004
PMID: 20096588
ISSN: 0966-6362
eISSN: 1879-2219
Language: English
Date published: 03/2010
Academic Unit: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science
Record Identifier: 9984047778202771

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