The role of altered proximal femoral geometry in impaired pelvis stability and hip control during CP gait: A simulation study

Abstract

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often present aberrant hip geometry, more specifically increased femoral anteversion and neck-shaft angle. Furthermore, altered gait patterns are present within this population. This study analyzed the effect of aberrant femoral geometry, as present in subjects with CP, on the ability of muscles to control hip and knee joint kinematics. Given the specific gait deficits observed during crouch gait, increased ability to abduct, externally rotate the hip and extend the knee and hip were denoted as beneficial effects. We ran dynamic simulations of CP and normal gait using two musculoskeletal models, one reflecting normal femoral geometry and one reflecting proximal femoral deformities. The results show that the combination of aberrant bone geometry and CP-specific gait characteristics beneficially increased the ability of gluteus medius and maximus to extend the hip and knee. In contrast, the potentials of the hamstrings to extend the hip decreased whereas the potentials to flex the knee increased. These changes closely followed the observed changes in the muscle moment arm lengths. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the concomitant effect of the presence of proximal femoral deformity and CP gait characteristics on the muscle control of hip and knee joint kinematics during single stance. Not accounting for subject-specific geometry will affect the calculated muscles’ potential during gait. Therefore, the use of generic models to assess muscle function in the presence of femoral deformity and CP gait should be treated with caution.