Article

OBJECTIVES: To describe walking measurement in children with spina bifida and to
identify patterns in the use of walking measures in this population. DATA SOURCES: Seven medical databases-Medline, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science,
CINAHL, and AMED-were searched from the earliest known record until March 11,
2014. Search terms encompassed 3 themes: (1) children; (2) spina bifida; and
(3) walking. STUDY SELECTION: Articles were included if participants were children
with spina bifida aged 1 to 17 years and if walking was measured. Articles were
excluded if the assessment was restricted to kinematic, kinetic, or
electromyographic analysis of walking. A total of 1751 abstracts were screened by
2 authors independently, and 109 articles were included in this review. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted using standardized forms.
Extracted data included
study and participant characteristics and details about the walking measures
used, including psychometric properties. Two authors evaluated the methodological
quality of articles using a previously published framework that considers
sampling method, study design, and psychometric properties of the measures used.
DATA SYNTHESIS: Nineteen walking measures were identified. Ordinal-level rating
scales (eg, Hoffer Functional Ambulation Scale) were most commonly used (57% of
articles), followed by ratio-level, spatiotemporal measures, such as walking
speed (18% of articles). Walking was measured for various reasons relevant to
multiple health care disciplines.
A machine learning analysis was used to
identify patterns in the use of walking measures. The learned classifier
predicted whether a spatiotemporal measure was used with 77.1% accuracy.
A trend
to use spatiotemporal measures in older children and those with lumbar and sacral
spinal lesions was identified. Most articles were prospective studies that used
samples of convenience and unblinded assessors. Few articles evaluated or
considered the psychometric properties of the walking measures used. CONCLUSIONS:
Despite a demonstrated need to measure walking in children with spina bifida, few
valid, reliable, and responsive measures have been established for this population.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS