scholarly journals The use of surface electromiography as a measure of physiotherapy outcomes in children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-226
Author(s):  
Bruna Garcia Schmidt ◽  
Laís Rodrigues Gerzson ◽  
Carla Skilhan de Almeida

Introduction: Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in childhood. Physical therapy plays a central role in managing the treatment of disease sequelae. However, it is always a challenge to quantify the results obtained in physical therapy interventions. Thus, surface electromyography has been increasingly used by physiotherapists because it is a quantitative method of evaluation and treatment of neuromuscular system dysfunctions. Objective: To analyze the use of surface electromyography as a physical therapy outcome measure in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: From the search in two important databases, clinical trials of physical therapy interventions that used surface electromyography as a physiotherapy outcome factor in children with cerebral palsy, published in Portuguese, English, French or Spanish until August 2019, were selected. Results: A total of 166 articles were found in the databases searched. Of these, only 15 were included and classified with good methodological quality by PEDro and because they were related to surface electromyography. A flowchart with standardization of actions was built taking into account the most prevalent findings in the studies. Conclusion: Surface electromyography has been applied by physiotherapists to evaluate the effects of the intervention, but it is necessary to improve its level of evidence.  

Author(s):  
Carolina Corsi ◽  
Mariana M. Santos ◽  
Roberta F. C. Moreira ◽  
Adriana N. dos Santos ◽  
Ana C. de Campos ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary E. Gannotti ◽  
Jennifer B. Christy ◽  
Jill C. Heathcock ◽  
Thubi H.A. Kolobe

Dosing of pediatric rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy (CP) has been identified as a national priority. Establishing dosing parameters for pediatric physical therapy interventions is critical for informing clinical decision making, health policy, and guidelines for reimbursement. The purpose of this perspective article is to describe a path model for evaluating dosing parameters of interventions for children with CP. The model is intended for dose-related and effectiveness studies of pediatric physical therapy interventions. The premise of the model is: Intervention type (focus on body structures, activity, or the environment) acts on a child first through the family, then through the dose (frequency, intensity, time), to yield structural and behavioral changes. As a result, these changes are linked to improvements in functional independence. Community factors affect dose as well as functional independence (performance and capacity), influencing the relationships between type of intervention and intervention responses. The constructs of family characteristics; child characteristics (eg, age, level of severity, comorbidities, readiness to change, preferences); plastic changes in bone, muscle, and brain; motor skill acquisition; and community access warrant consideration from researchers who are designing intervention studies. Multiple knowledge gaps are identified, and a framework is provided for conceptualizing dosing parameters for children with CP.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Anttila ◽  
Ilona Autti-Rämö ◽  
Jutta Suoranta ◽  
Marjukka Mäkelä ◽  
Antti Malmivaara

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Braswell ◽  
Anna Benedict ◽  
Corinne Chapman ◽  
Lisa Steed ◽  
Sheree C. York

Author(s):  
Robert M. Kay ◽  
Kristan Pierz ◽  
James McCarthy ◽  
H. Kerr Graham ◽  
Henry Chambers ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this study was for an international panel of experts to establish consensus indications for distal rectus femoris surgery in children with cerebral palsy (CP) using a modified Delphi method. Methods The panel used a five-level Likert scale to record agreement or disagreement with 33 statements regarding distal rectus femoris surgery. The panel responded to statements regarding general characteristics, clinical indications, computerized gait data, intraoperative techniques and outcome measures. Consensus was defined as at least 80% of responses being in the highest or lowest two of the five Likert ratings, and general agreement as 60% to 79% falling into the highest or lowest two ratings. There was no agreement if neither threshold was reached. Results Consensus or general agreement was reached for 17 of 33 statements (52%). There was general consensus that distal rectus femoris surgery is better for stiff knee gait than is proximal rectus femoris release. There was no consensus about whether the results of distal rectus femoris release were comparable to those following distal rectus femoris transfer. Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level was an important factor for the panel, with the best outcomes expected in children functioning at GMFCS levels I and II. The panel also reached consensus that they do distal rectus femoris surgery less frequently than earlier in their careers, in large part reflecting the narrowing of indications for this surgery over the last decade. Conclusion This study can help paediatric orthopaedic surgeons optimize decision-making for, and outcomes of, distal rectus femoris surgery in children with CP. Level of evidence V


2001 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 21-22
Author(s):  
F. M. Bischof

This paper reviews the evidence in the literature for the use of hypebaric oxygen (HBO) in the treatment of cerebral palsy (CP). To date there are only two published studies on the outcome of HBO administration in CP. A pilot study showed significant improvement in gross motor function but provided a low level of evidence. A recent multicentre, double blind, placebo controlled trial reported similar improvements in both HBO and placebo groups, but no difference between the groups. This study had a high level of evidence. The results suggest that participation in the trial produced clinically important gains in function. The outcome of the study implies that HBO may have a placebo effect in CP.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Germana Cappellini ◽  
Francesca Sylos-Labini ◽  
Carla Assenza ◽  
Laura Libernini ◽  
Daniela Morelli ◽  
...  

Surface electromyography (sEMG) can be used to assess the integrity of the neuromuscular system and its impairment in neurological disorders. Here we will consider several issues related to the current clinical applications, difficulties and limited usage of sEMG for the assessment and rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy. The uniqueness of this methodology is that it can determine hyperactivity or inactivity of selected muscles, which cannot be assessed by other methods. In addition, it can assist for intervention or muscle/tendon surgery acts, and it can evaluate integrated functioning of the nervous system based on multi-muscle sEMG recordings and assess motor pool activation. The latter aspect is especially important for understanding impairments of the mechanisms of neural controllers rather than malfunction of individual muscles. Although sEMG study is an important tool in both clinical research and neurorehabilitation, the results of a survey on the clinical relevance of sEMG in a typical department of pediatric rehabilitation highlighted its limited clinical usage. We believe that this is due to limited knowledge of the sEMG and its neuromuscular underpinnings by many physiotherapists, as a result of lack of emphasis on this important methodology in the courses taught in physical therapy schools. The lack of reference databases or benchmarking software for sEMG analysis may also contribute to the limited clinical usage. Despite the existence of educational and technical barriers to a widespread use of, sEMG does provide important tools for planning and assessment of rehabilitation treatments for children with cerebral palsy.


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