Immediate effects of a single treadmill session with additional ankle loading on gait in children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: Children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy are often characterized by reduced speed progression, shorter step length, and increased support base. These kinematic alterations result in inefficient gait.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the immediate effects of treadmill training with additional lower limb loading on kinematic gait parameters in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP).

METHODS: This cross-sectional, observational study, involved 20 children with hemiparetic CP that underwent single treadmill session with ankle loading. Kinematic gait data were collected by the Qualisys Motion Capture System during baseline (PRE), immediately after training (POST) and 5 minutes after post session (FOLLOW UP).

RESULTS: The results demonstrated increase in knee (p = 0.001) and hip (p = 0.005) range of motion, maximum knee (p <.0.001) and hip (p =.001) flexion in swing and paretic foot height during swing (p <0.001) when PRE x POST were compared.

CONCLUSION: Treadmill gait training with additional lower limb loading was a disturbance capable of modifying the locomotor strategy of these population. The increase in hip flexion during swing phase allowed higher paretic foot clearance which may favor the improvement of gait function.