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Anteroposterior balance reactions in children with spastic cerebral palsy
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Anteroposterior balance reactions in children with spastic cerebral palsy

Jeremy R. Crenshaw, Drew A. Petersen, Benjamin C. Conner, James B. Tracy, Jamie Pigman, Henry G. Wright, Freeman Miller, Curtis L. Johnson and Christopher M. Modlesky
Developmental medicine and child neurology, v 62(6), pp 700-708
01 Jun 2020
PMID: 32124436
url
https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14500View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze) Open

Abstract

Clinical Neurology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Neurosciences & Neurology Pediatrics Science & Technology
Aim To compare anterior and posterior standing balance reactions, as measured by single-stepping thresholds, in children with and without spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Method Seventeen ambulatory children with spastic CP (eight males, nine females) and 28 typically developing children (13 males, 15 females; age range 5-12y, mean [SD] 9y 2mo [2y 3mo]), were included in this cross-sectional, observational study. Balance reaction skill was quantified as anterior and posterior single-stepping thresholds, or the treadmill-induced perturbations that consistently elicited a step in that direction. In order to understand the underlying mechanisms of between-group differences in stepping thresholds, dynamic stability was quantified using the minimum margin of stability. Ankle muscle activation latency, magnitude, and co-contraction were assessed with surface electromyography. Results We observed an age and group interaction for anterior thresholds (p=0.001, partial eta(2)=0.24). At older (approximate to 11y; p<0.001, partial eta(2)=0.48), but not younger (approximate to 7y; p=0.33, partial eta(2)=0.02) ages, typically developing children had larger anterior thresholds than those with CP. In response to near-threshold anterior perturbations, older typically developing children recovered from more instability than their peers with CP (p=0.004, partial eta(2)=0.18). Older children had no between-group differences in ankle muscle activity. No between-group differences were observed in posterior thresholds. Interpretation The effects of CP on balance reactions are age- and direction-specific. Older typically developing children are more able or willing to withhold a step when unstable.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Pediatrics
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