Integrated assessment of strength in children with cerebral palsy (pilot study)

One of the main problems of children with cerebral palsy (CP) is muscle weakness. Muscle weakness is now recognized as one of the main causes of the development of bony deformities and muscle contractures. These secondary problems can only be corrected by multilevel surgery. Unfortunately, muscle lengthening procedures within this multilevel surgery are also recognized as major causes of muscle weakness. Over the past decade, several studies related muscle strength to gross motor functioning, such as walking, in these children. The aim of this study is to investigate the mean EMG frequency, recorded during 3D gait analysis (3DGA), as an assessment tool for objective and functional evaluation and differentiation of muscle strength in children with CP. EMG frequency will also be studied during isokinetic strength tests (using a handheld dynamometer). Recent results highlighted that the mean EMG frequency is higher in weak muscles. CP children who are planned for multilevel surgery will be recruited. Surface EMG data of four lower limb muscles (lateral gastrocnemius, anterior tibial, rectus femoris, medial hamstrings) will be collected during 3DGA prior and one year post surgery. Twenty age-related typically developing children will be included as controls (available data). The mean EMG frequency will be estimated for different gait trials as well as during the isokinetic strength tests. The differences in EMG frequency and in muscle strength will be compared between pre and post surgery conditions. The master student will contribute to the data collection in children with cerebral palsy (University Hospital Pellenberg), and the study and interpretation of the results. Normal 0 21 false false false NL-BE X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Keywords:Strength, Cerebral Plasy

Disciplines:Laboratory medicine, Palliative care and end-of-life care, Regenerative medicine, Other basic sciences, Other health sciences, Nursing, Other paramedical sciences, Other translational sciences, Other medical and health sciences