Article

This study aims to achieve an international expert consensus on joint
patterns during gait for children with cerebral palsy (CP) by means of Delphi
surveys. METHOD: In Stage 1, seven local experts drafted a preliminary proposal
of kinematic patterns for each lower limb joint in the sagittal, coronal, and
transverse plane. In Stage 2,
13 experts from eight gait laboratories (four in
the USA and four in Europe), participated in a Delphi consensus study. Consensus
was defined by a pre-set cut-off point of 75% agreement among participants.
RESULTS: After the first stage, 44 joint patterns were presented in a first
survey and 29 patterns reached consensus. Consensus improved to 47 out of 48
patterns in the third survey. Only one pattern, 'abnormal knee pattern during
loading response', did not reach consensus. The expert panel agreed to define six
patterns for the knee during swing, most of them representing characteristics of
a stiff knee pattern. INTERPRETATION: The defined joint patterns can support
clinical reasoning for children with CP as joint patterns during gait might be
linked to different treatment approaches. Automating the classification process
and incorporating additional trunk, foot, and electromyography features should be
prioritized for the near future.
CI - (c) 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Langue : ANGLAIS