Analysis of partial body weight support during treadmill and overground walking of children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the spatial-temporal characteristics and joint angles during overground walking without body weight support (BWS) and with 0% and 30% BWS, and during treadmill walking with the same BWS in children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: six children with hemiplegic and spastic cerebral palsy (7.70 ± 1.04 years old) were videotaped during overground walking at a comfortable speed with no BWS, with 0% and 30% BWS, and during treadmill walking with 0% and 30% BWS. Reflective markers were placed over main bony landmarks in both body sides to register the coordinates "x", "y", "z".

Results: during overground walking, children walked faster and presented longer and faster strides, longer duration of single-stance and swing periods, and shorter duration of double-stance period, than treadmill walking, regardless of BWS use. The hip was the only joint that presented a difference between body sides and experimental conditions; i.e. range of motion (ROM) was reduced in the plegic side when compared to the nonplegic side, and during overground walking without BWS when compared to 30% BWS.

Conclusion: children with hemiplegic and spastic cerebral palsy were able to walk overground and on a treadmill with different percentages of BWS, and their performance was superior during overground walking, regardless of BWS use.