Article

The objective of the present study was to highlight the role of head
stabilization and to analyze multisegment head-trunk coordination during gait in
children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: Postural control was
measured and compared in a group of 16 CP subjects and a control group of 16
healthy subjects. The subjects had to walk along an out-and-back course at their
freely chosen gait speed. For each gait cycle, motion analysis techniques were
used to calculate the amplitude of the head angle (relative to the trunk) in the
sagittal and frontal planes. RESULTS: Kinematic analysis revealed a number of
significant intergroup differences, with a more pronounced variation in the head
angle (relative to the trunk) in the CP group than in the control group. There
were no significant intergroup differences in terms of the angular amplitude of
the head in the sagittal plane. CONCLUSION: The greater variability of the head
angle in the frontal plane in the CP subjects might reflect the presence of
greater head roll as a compensatory strategy. These finding suggest that the
clinical evaluation of posture during gait in children with CP should be
reconsidered.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS