Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Spring;23(1):42-52.
doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e318206eefa.

Impact of enhanced sensory input on treadmill step frequency: infants born with myelomeningocele

Annette Pantall  1 , Caroline Teulier, Beth A Smith, Victoria Moerchen, Beverly D Ulrich
Affiliations

Impact of enhanced sensory input on treadmill step frequency: infants born with myelomeningocele

Annette Pantall et al. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2011 Spring.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effect of enhanced sensory input on the step frequency of infants with myelomeningocele (MMC) when supported on a motorized treadmill.

Methods: Twenty-seven infants aged 2 to 10 months with MMC lesions at, or caudal to, L1 participated. We supported infants upright on the treadmill for 2 sets of 6 trials, each 30 seconds long. Enhanced sensory inputs within each set were presented in random order and included baseline, visual flow, unloading, weights, Velcro, and friction.

Results: Overall friction and visual flow significantly increased step rate, particularly for the older subjects. Friction and Velcro increased stance-phase duration. Enhanced sensory input had minimal effect on leg activity when infants were not stepping.

Conclusions: : Increased friction via Dycem and enhancing visual flow via a checkerboard pattern on the treadmill belt appear to be more effective than the traditional smooth black belt surface for eliciting stepping patterns in infants with MMC.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Scatterplot of infants' raw Bayley Sensorimotor subscale scores, by lesion group and age.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatterplot of infants' step rate collapsed over context, by lesion groups, as a function of Ponderal Index.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatterplot of infants' leg activity rate as a function of the Ponderal Index.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Mean percent of total steps that were of each step type, collapsed over conditions, for (A) younger and (B) older age groups. AL= alternating, SI= single, PA- parallel, DO=double.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Steps rate by condition, age and lesion level, (A) low-level lesion, (B) middle-level lesion and (C) high-level lesion.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Z score for step rate for (A) younger group, (B) older group, (C) low-level lesion, (D) middle-level lesion and (E) high-level lesion. B=baseline, VIS=visual flow, U=unloading, W=weights, VEL=Velcro, F=friction.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Normalized cycle duration across condition by age groups.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Leg activity rate across condition by age groups for (A) low-level lesion, (B) middle-level lesion and (C) high-level lesion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Bowman RM, Boshnjaku V, McLone DG. The changing incidence of myelomeningocele and its impact on pediatric neurosurgery: a review from the Children's Memorial Hospital. Child Nerv Syst. 2009;25(7):801–806. - PubMed
    1. Stroke NIoNDa., editor. NIH Publication No. 07-309. Bethesda, MD: 2007. Spina Bifida Fact Sheet.
    1. Buffart LM, van den Berg-Emonsrita JG, van Meeteren J, Stam JV, Roebroek M. Lifestyle, participation, and health-related quality of life in adolescents and young adults with myelomeningocele. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2009;51(11):886–894. - PubMed
    1. Sival DA, Begeer JH, Staal-Schreinemachers AL, Vos-Niel JM, Beekhuis JR, Prechtl HF. Perinatal motor behaviour and neurological outcome in spina bifida aperta. Early Hum Dev. 1997;50(1):27–37. - PubMed
    1. Reid GM. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): microgravity and inadequate sensory stimulation. Med Hypotheses. 2006;66(5):920–924. - PubMed