Gait analysis in children with cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) children present complex and heterogeneous motor disorders that cause gait deviations. Clinical gait analysis (CGA) is needed to identify, understand and support the management of gait deviations in CP. CGA assesses a large amount of quantitative data concerning patients gait characteristics, such as video, kinematics, kinetics, EMG, plantar pressure data. Common gait deviations in CP can be grouped into gait patterns according spastic hemiplegia (drop foot, equinus with different knee positions) and spastic diplegia (true equinus, jump, apparent equinus, and crouch) to facilitate communication. However gait deviations in CP tend to be a continuum of deviations rather than well delineated groups. To interpret CGA, it is necessary to link gait deviations to clinical impairments and to distinguish primary gait deviations from compensatory strategies. CGA doesn't tell us how to treat a CP patient but can provide objective identification of gait deviations, and further the understanding of gait deviations. Numerous treatment options are available to manage gait deviations in CP. Generally, treatments strive to limit secondary deformations, re-establish the lever arm function and preserve muscle strength. Additional roles of CGA are to better understand the effects of treatments on gait deviation