Lourdes Macias-Merlo1, Caridad Bagur-Calafat, Montserrat Girabent-Farrés, Wayne A Stuberg. 1. Physical Therapy Department (Ms Macias-Merlo and Dr Bagur-Calafat), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain; Early Intervention Public Service of Barcelona (Ms Macias-Merlo), Barcelona, Spain; Biostatistics Department (Dr Girabent-Farrés), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain; Physical Therapy and Motion Analysis Laboratory (Dr Stuberg), Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of a standing program on the range of motion (ROM) of hip abduction in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. METHODS: The participants were 13 children, Gross Motor Functional Classification System level III, who received physical therapy and a daily standing program using a custom-fabricated stander from 12 to 14 months of age to the age of 5 years. Hip abduction ROM was goniometrically assessed at baseline and at 5 years. RESULTS: Baseline hip abduction was 42° at baseline and 43° at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: This small difference was not clinically significant, but did demonstrate that it was possible to maintain hip abduction ROM in the spastic adductor muscles of children with cerebral palsy with a daily standing program during the children's first 5 years of development.
PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of a standing program on the range of motion (ROM) of hip abduction in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. METHODS: The participants were 13 children, Gross Motor Functional Classification System level III, who received physical therapy and a daily standing program using a custom-fabricated stander from 12 to 14 months of age to the age of 5 years. Hip abduction ROM was goniometrically assessed at baseline and at 5 years. RESULTS: Baseline hip abduction was 42° at baseline and 43° at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: This small difference was not clinically significant, but did demonstrate that it was possible to maintain hip abduction ROM in the spastic adductor muscles of children with cerebral palsy with a daily standing program during the children's first 5 years of development.