Role of positioning between trunk and pelvis in locomotor function of ambulant children with and without cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To understand if children with and without cerebral palsy share the same lumbar postural control threshold on the sagittal plane for the transition between each walking locomotor stage.

METHODS

Observational analysis of sagittal trunk-pelvis kinematics of 97 children with cerebral palsy and 73 with typical development, according to their locomotor stage.

RESULTS

Among children with typical development, all average and minimum measurements of the sagittal lumbar curve during the gait events were correlated with age and the locomotor stages of development. Among children with cerebral palsy, there were significant correlations between all average and minimum values of the sagittal lumbar curve and locomotor stages of development but not age.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that, for the same locomotor level, there are no common postural patterns between children with typical development and those with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy for the position between trunk and pelvis in the sagittal plane. Maximal lordosis reduction between trunk and pelvis may change with age or even training, but does not make a positive effect on the locomotor level, while basal and maintenance capacities could explain locomotor function. Trials that failed to assess quality of movement may now have a better understanding of how different interventions improve posture towards the next functional level.