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Reflex excitability and isometric force production in cerebral palsy: the effect of serial casting
Author(s) -
Brouwer Brenda,
Wheeldon Robyn K,
StradiottoParker Nadia
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1998.tb15442.x
Subject(s) - isometric exercise , cerebral palsy , plantar flexion , spastic , medicine , stretch reflex , reflex , physical medicine and rehabilitation , range of motion , tension (geology) , physical therapy , anesthesia , anatomy , materials science , compression (physics) , ankle , composite material
During passive dorsiflexion, the angle of stretch‐reflex onset was earlier in the dorsiflexion range for children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) ( N =10) compared with controls (P<0.001) at comparable velocities of stretch. Isometric plantar‐flexor force was lower in children with CP (P<0.0001) and a leftward shift in the length‐tension curve reflected that peakforces were produced in greater plantar flexion in children with CP than in controls (P<0.0001). Seven children with CP underwent 3 weeks of serial casting resulting in increased dorsiflexion At postcasting and at 6 weeks follow‐up (P<0.002). There was no associated loss in plantar‐flexor strength (P>0.32), but increased reflex threshold (P<0.03) and a decline in restraint to imposed stretch (P<0.002) were evident. A rightward shift in the length‐tension curve illustrated that peak tension was generated in dorsiflexion rather than plantar flexion following casting (P<0.001). The gains were still evident at follow‐up although generally to a lesser extent.