scholarly journals Medial gastrocnemius muscle stiffness cannot explain the increased ankle joint range of motion following passive stretching in children with cerebral palsy

2018 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara M. Kalkman ◽  
Lynn Bar-On ◽  
Francesco Cenni ◽  
Constantinos N. Maganaris ◽  
Alfie Bass ◽  
...  
2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. de Bruin ◽  
M. J. C. Smeulders ◽  
M. Kreulen

Patients with spastic cerebral palsy of the upper limb typically present with various problems including an impaired range of motion that affects the positioning of the upper extremity. This impaired range of motion often develops into contractures that further limit functioning of the spastic hand and arm. Understanding why these contractures develop in cerebral palsy will affect the selection of patients suitable for surgical treatment as well as the choice for specific surgical procedures. The generally accepted hypothesis in patients with spastic cerebral palsy is that the hyper-excitability of the stretch reflex combined with increased muscle tone result in extreme angles of the involved joints at rest. Ultimately, these extreme joint angles are thought to result in fixed joint postures. There is no consensus in the literature concerning the pathophysiology of this process. Several hypotheses associated with inactivity and overactivity have been tested by examining the secondary changes in spastic muscle and its surrounding tissue. All hypotheses implicate different secondary changes that consequently require different clinical approaches. In this review, the different hypotheses concerning the development of limited joint range of motion in cerebral palsy are discussed in relation to their secondary changes on the musculoskeletal system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Ece Acıkbas ◽  
Devrim Tarakcı ◽  
Miray Budak

Background/aims Cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition resulting in weakness in the muscles, difficulty moving and excessive tension in the muscles of the arms and legs. This study aimed to investigate the effects of adding Kinesio taping and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to neurodevelopmental treatment on joint range of motion, muscle tone and functional ability in children with cerebral palsy. Methods A total of 30 children were included in the study. They were allocated to one of two groups: Kinesio taping (n=15) or neuromuscular electrical stimulation (n=15). The children in both groups received 20 sessions of twice-weekly neurodevelopmental treatment. Range of motion, Modified Ashworth Scale, Duruoz Hand Index, Manual Ability Classification System, Gross Motor Function Classification System, Minnesota Hand Skill Test and Jebsen Hand Function Test were assessed before and after the treatment programme. Results Statistically significant improvements (P<0.05) were found in all measures except Gross Motor Function Classification System in both groups. Significant between-group differences in left shoulder flexion, left shoulder abduction and unilateral Minnesota Hand Skill Test were found in favour of neuromuscular electrical stimulation; whereas significant improvement in left elbow flexion was found in favour of Kinesio taping. Conclusions The addition of Kinesio taping and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to neurodevelopmental treatment improved the joint range of motion and functional ability of children with cerebral palsy.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walid A. Abdel Ghany ◽  
Mohamed Nada ◽  
Mahmoud A. Mahran ◽  
Ahmed Aboud ◽  
Moustafa G. Mahran ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) can present with severe secondary dystonia with or without associated spasticity of their extremities. OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes of combined anterior and posterior lumbar rhizotomy for the treatment of mixed hypertonia in the lower extremities of children with CP. METHODS: Fifty children with CP were subjected to combined anterior and posterior lumbar rhizotomies in a prospective study. Clinical outcome measurements were recorded preoperatively and were evaluated at 2, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The operative techniques were performed by laminotomy from L1-S1, and intraoperative monitoring was used in all cases. All patients underwent intensive postoperative physiotherapy programs. RESULTS: Changes in muscle tone, joint range of motion, and dystonia were significant (P =.000) at postoperative assessment visits. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the potential of combined anterior and posterior lumbar rhizotomies to improve activities of daily living in children with CP and with mixed spasticity and dystonia.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Nakamura ◽  
Ryosuke Kiyono ◽  
Shigeru Sato ◽  
Kaoru Yahata ◽  
Taizan Fukaya ◽  
...  

Background: Previous studies suggest that the capacity for rapid force production of ankle plantar flexors is essential for the prevention of falls in the elderly. In healthy young adults, there were significant associations between rate of force development and muscle stiffness measured by shear wave elastography. However, there has been no study investigating the association of rate of force development with shear elastic modulus in older adults. Methods: The muscle strength and shear elastic modulus of the medial gastrocnemius muscle in both legs were measured in 17 elderly men and 10 elderly women (mean ± SD; 70.7 ± 4.1 years; 160.6 ± 8.0 cm; 58.7 ± 9.5 kg). We investigated the rate of force development of plantar flexors and shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius muscle using by shear wave elastography. Results: Our results showed that there were no significant associations between normalized rate of force development and shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius muscle. Conclusion: This suggests that the capacity of rapid force production could be related not to muscle stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius muscle, but to neuromuscular function in older individuals.


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