Gait Function In Patients Research Articles

THE ROLE OF BOTULINUM TOXIN A IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LOWER LIMB SPASTICITY IN PATIENTS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

SUMMARYThis study aimed to determine the effects of botulinum toxin‐A (btA) on spasticity in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Thirty‐five children with spastic CP were evaluated. The injection group consisted of 25 patients who were injected with btA and received conventional physical therapy The control group consisted of 10 patients who were treated with conventional physical therapy only In the injection group, btA was applied to the lower extremity spastic muscles at a total dose of 8–10 lU/kg. Spasticity was measured by the Ashworth scale. Gait function was evaluated by clinical gait assessment in all patients and temporal distance factors in 16 patients. All the parameters were recorded before treatment, after three days and after one month of therapy. Following injection of btA, significant improvement in all parameters was observed. No statistically significant progression was noted in the control group except clinical gait analysis scores. Comparing the three‐day and one‐month measurements of spasticity of the two groups, statistically significant results were obtained in favour of the injection group in all parameters except for clinical gait analysis scores. The findings of this study showed btA injection to be an effective treatment for reducing spasticity and improving gait function in patients with spastic CP

Weerstandsoefeningen en loopfunctie bij patiënten met de ziekte van Parkinson

Resistance training and gait function in patients with Parkinson's disease [American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 2001;80(1):38-43]

Ankle-foot orthoses: effect on gait in children with cerebral palsy

Purpose: In this study our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) on gait function in patients with spastic cerebral palsy for whom orthoses were indicated to control dynamic equines deformity. Method: Twenty-four spastic cerebral palsied patients with dynamic equines deformity were included in the study. Videotape recordings were performed to each patient on the same day with barefoot and AFOs. Temporal distance factors including velocity, cadence, stride length, stride width and Clinical Gait Assessment Score (CGAS) were compared across two conditions. Results: The use of AFOs during gait, produced a statistically significant increase in velocity (p=0.011) and stride length (p<0.001), no significant difference in cadence (p=0,501), and stride width (p=0.796), and a significant decrease in CGAS (p<0.001), compared to barefoot condition. Conclusions: Cerebral palsied children with dynamic equines deformities can benefit from AFOs for ambulation.

Resistance training and gait function in patients with Parkinson's disease.

To determine whether patients with Parkinson's disease who are enrolled in a resistance training program can gain strength similar to that of normal control subjects and whether these gains in strength would improve their gait function. Subjects included 14 patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease of either gender and six normal control subjects of similar age. The training consisted of an 8-wk course of resistance training twice per week, focused primarily on the lower limbs. The primary outcome measures consisted of exercise performance monitoring and quantitative gait analysis before and after the training course. Both the patients with Parkinson's disease and normal control subjects significantly increased their performance with resistance training. Subjects with Parkinson's disease had gains in strength similar to those of normal elderly adults. Patients with Parkinson's disease also had significant gains in stride length, walking velocity, and postural angles compared with pretreatment values. Patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease can obtain increases in performance or strength similar to that of normal adults of the same age in a resistance training program. Resistance training can produce functional improvements in gait and may, therefore, be useful as part of a physical rehabilitation and/or health maintenance program for patients with Parkinson's disease.