Treadmill training with an incline reduces ankle joint stiffness and improves active range of movement during gait in adults with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Daily treadmill training with an incline for 6 weeks reduces ankle joint stiffness and increases active ROM during gait in adults with CP. Intensive gait training may thus be beneficial in preventing and reducing contractures and help to maintain functional gait ability in adults with CP. Implications for rehabilitation Uphill gait training is an effective way to reduce ankle joint stiffness in adult with contractures. 6 weeks of daily uphill gait training improves functional gait parameters such as gait speed and dorsal flexion during gait in adults with cerebral palsy.

Robot-driven downward pelvic pull to improve crouch gait in children with cerebral palsy

“…As the leg swings further with increased step length and toe clearance, children attain a better heel strike. Stronger heel strike was also reported with treadmill training on an in clined surface (46,47). Although this training improved heel strike of children with CP, the underlying mechanism in this study is different from the current study.…”

Improved Walking Capacity and Muscle Strength After Functional Power-Training in Young Children With Cerebral Palsy

“…A previous study with inclined treadmill gait training in adults with CP found similar ROM improvements. 40 Increased muscle length can also be explained by muscle fiber hypertrophy, which would lead to increased muscle length in highly pennate muscle like the gastrocnemius. 41 These findings indicate that the power training did not negatively affect muscle length, but may even have a positive effect on ROM of the ankle.…”

Impaired muscle growth precedes development of increased stiffness of the triceps surae musculotendinous unit in children with cerebral palsy

“…Measurements of passive and reflex‐mediated stiffness elicited by ankle dorsiflexion were obtained using a custom‐build hand‐held dynamometer . Similar principles for evaluation of passive and reflex‐mediated stiffness were applied in the study by Willerslev‐Olsen et al on children with CP in the age range 3 to 14 years.…”