Article

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the differences in gait variability and balance
performance between children with cerebral palsy (CP), children with
post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) and typically developed (TD) children and to
determine the association between gait variability and functional balance in
these groups. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Physical therapy department
of a paediatric and adolescent rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A
convenience sample of 15 children post-TBI, 15 children with CP and 30 TD age-
and sex-matched controls. INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
Step length and step time variability measured by an electronic walkway; timed up
and go (TUG) test and functional reach test (FRT) were used as functional balance
tests. RESULTS: The functional balance abilities of children post-TBI and
children with CP were significantly limited compared to TD children. Children
post-TBI had significantly greater variability in step length in comparison to
healthy controls. A significant linear inverse correlation between balance
performance and step length variability was found only among children with TBI.
CONCLUSION: Brain damage is associated with restricted balance performance and
increased step variability. It might be that in a child born with brain damage,
as opposed to acquired damage, the developmental process has a restraining effect
on gait variability.

Langue : ANGLAIS