Search

Purpose: To report evidence for the concurrent validity and reliability of dynamic MRI techniques to evaluate in vivo joint and muscle mechanics, and to propose recommendations for their use in the assessment of normal and impaired musculoskeletal function., Materials and Methods: The search was conducted on articles published in Web of science, PubMed, Scopus, Academic search Premier, and Cochrane Library between 1990 and August 2017. Studies that reported the concurrent validity and/or reliability of dynamic MRI techniques for in vivo evaluation of joint or muscle mechanics were included after assessment by two independent reviewers. Selected articles were assessed using an adapted quality assessment tool and a data extraction process. Results for concurrent validity and reliability were categorized as poor, moderate, or excellent., Results: Twenty articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria with a mean quality assessment score of 66% (±10.4%). Concurrent validity and/or reliability of eight dynamic MRI techniques were reported, with the knee being the most evaluated joint (seven studies). Moderate to excellent concurrent validity and reliability were reported for seven out of eight dynamic MRI techniques. Cine phase contrast and real-time MRI appeared to be the most valid and reliable techniques to evaluate joint motion, and spin tag for muscle motion., Conclusion: Dynamic MRI techniques are promising for the in vivo evaluation of musculoskeletal mechanics; however results should be evaluated with caution since validity and reliability have not been determined for all joints and muscles, nor for many pathological conditions.

Background: Treatment/prevention of shoulder muscle strength imbalances are major therapeutic goals for children with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy. The study aims were to characterize muscle atrophy in children/adolescents with unilateral obstetrical brachial plexus palsy, to quantify the agonist-antagonist muscle volume balance and the association between muscle volume and strength., Methods: Eight boys and four girls (age=12.1, standard deviation=3.3) participated in this case-control study. Three-dimensional magnetic resonance images of both shoulders were acquired. The unimpaired shoulder served as a reference. Volumes of deltoid, pectoralis major, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres major, subscapularis were calculated based on 3D models, derived through image segmentation. Maximal isometric torques were collected in six directions., Findings: All the major muscles studied were significantly atrophied. The teres major demonstrated the biggest difference in atrophy between groups (51 percentage points), the pectoralis major was the least atrophied (23 percentage points). The muscle volume distribution was significantly different between shoulders. Muscle volume could predict maximal voluntary isometric torques, but the regression coefficients were weaker on the impaired side (72% to 91% of the strength could be predicted in the uninvolved side and 24% to 90% in the involved side and external rotation strength could not be predicted)., Interpretation: This study demonstrates muscle atrophy varied across all the main shoulder muscles of the glenohumeral joint, leading to significant muscle volume imbalances. The weaker coefficients of determination on the impaired side suggest that other variables may contribute to the loss of strength in addition to atrophy., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: To evaluate medication, rehabilitation and healthcare consumption in adults with CP as a function of Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level., Design: Questionnaire-based cross-sectional study., Setting: Brittany, a French county., Subjects: Adults with cerebral palsy., Interventions: Questionnaires relating to drugs, orthotic devices, mobility aids, rehabilitation and medical input were sent to 435 members of a unique regional French network dedicated to adults with cerebral palsy. The questionnaire was completed by the participant or a helper if necessary., Results: Of the 282 responders, 7.8% had a GMFCS level of I, 14.2% II, 17.7% III, 29.1% IV and 31.2% V. Participants consumed a large amount of healthcare. Almost three-quarters took orally administered drugs, of which antispastic and antiepileptic drugs were among the most frequent. Nearly all patients had at least one type of rehabilitation, 87.2% had physiotherapy, 78% used at least one mobility aid and 69.5% used at least one orthotic device. The frequency of numerous inputs increased with GMFCS level. Specificities were found for each GMFCS level, e.g. participants with GMFCS level IV and V had a high level of medical input and a greater use of trunk-supporting devices, antireflux and laxative. Profiles could be established based on GMFCS levels., Conclusions: Adults with cerebral palsy use a large amount of drugs, mobility aids, orthotic devices, rehabilitation and medical input. Healthcare is targeted at cerebral palsy-related issues. GMFCS is a determinant of healthcare consumption and thus a useful tool for clinical practice to target care appropriately.

Subject-specific musculoskeletal models can predict accurate joint and muscle biomechanics thereby helping clinicians and surgeons. Current modeling strategies do not incorporate accurate subject-specific muscle parameters. This study reports a statistical shape model (SSM) based method to predict subject-specific muscle attachment regions on shoulder bones and illustrates the concurrent validity of the predictions. Augmented SSMs of scapula and humerus bones were built using bone meshes and five muscle attachment (origin/insertion) regions which play important role in the shoulder motion and function. Muscle attachments included Subscapularis, Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Major and Teres Minor on both the bones. The regions were represented by subset of vertices on the bone meshes and were tracked using vertex identifiers. Subject-specific muscle attachment regions were predicted using external set of bones not used in building the SSMs. Validity of predictions was determined by visual inspection and also by using four similarity measures between predicted and manually segmented regions. Excellent concurrent validity was found indicating the higher accuracy of predictions. This method can be effectively employed in modeling pipelines or in automatic segmentation of medical images. Further validations are warranted on all the muscles of the shoulder complex.

Background: Obstetrical brachial plexus palsy is a common birth injury to nerves passing through the brachial plexus that may result in structural and functional abnormalities. Individual joint trajectories from kinematic analyses have been used to evaluate the source and extent of abnormalities. Here, two summary measures of limb kinematics were utilized: 1) the Arm Profile Score summarizing upper limb joint kinematic abnormalities from a typical pattern across a task, and 2) the recently developed Multi-joint Coordination Measure using principal component analysis to characterize typical coordination of multiple joints throughout a task and compute deviations in time and space. Our aim was to compare these kinematic measures in persons with and without injury and relate these to clinical and functional scales., Methods: 3D kinematic data from 10 upper limb joints were collected on 15 children and adolescents with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy and 21 controls during a reach-to-grasp task in both limbs. The two kinematic measures were computed and correlated with each other and the Mallet and ABILIHAND-Kids., Findings: Both measures revealed that joint angles primarily contributing to shoulder and wrist motion were most prominently affected in the non-dominant limb in obstetrical brachial plexus palsy, with the Multi-joint Coordination Measure additionally indicating when in the motion coordination worsens. These were moderately interrelated but neither correlated with other scales., Interpretation: The Multi-joint Coordination Measure, while related to the Arm Profile Score, may have additional utility for individualized treatment planning and evaluation of any motor task due to the unique spatial-temporal information provided., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: To address the roles and mechanisms of co-activation in two flexor/extensor pairs during elbow extension in children with cerebral palsy (CP)., Methods: 13 Typically Developing (TD) and 13 children with unilateral spastic CP performed elbow extension/flexion at different speeds. Elbow angle and velocity were recorded using a 3D motion analysis system. The acceleration and deceleration phases of extension were analyzed. Co-activation of the brachioradialis/triceps and biceps/triceps pairs was computed for each phase from surface electromyographic signals. Statistical analysis involved linear mixed effects models and Spearman rank correlations., Results: During the acceleration phase, there was strong co-activation in both muscle pairs in the children with CP, which increased with speed. Co-activation was weak in the TD children and it was not speed-dependent. During the deceleration phase, co-activation was strong and increased with speed in both groups; co-activation of brachioradialis/triceps was stronger in children with CP, and was negatively correlated with extension range and positively correlated with flexor spasticity., Conclusions: Abnormal patterns of co-activation in children with CP were found throughout the entire movement. Co-activation was specific to the movement phase and to each flexor muscle., Significance: Co-activation in children with CP is both physiological and pathological., (Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pain is one of the symptoms reported most by children with motor disabilities particularly during daily living activities in institutions and during rehabilitation. Despite the care and consideration of professionals, a wide range of motor and cognitive disabilities, limited communication skills, the presence of chronic pain and frequent care interventions place such children at high risk of experiencing induced pain., Objectives: We aimed to identify care-related pain and discomfort in children with motor disabilities in rehabilitation centres and the characteristics of children at risk of induced pain. A further aim was to evaluate the validity of a method for the continuous assessment of care-related pain., Methods: Patients were recruited from 2 paediatric rehabilitation centres. The level of pain or discomfort experienced during each daily care activity was evaluated for 5 days and 1 night by using the FLACC-r scale and a visual analog scale (VAS) rated by the caregiver (VAS caregiver) and the patient (VAS patient)., Results: We included 32 children (mean age: 8.5±5 years, range: 1-15 years) with 1302 care activities evaluated. Overall, 3.6% of the activities were rated as painful and 11% uncomfortable. The most frequent painful activities were mouth care, transfers standing and dressing. The most frequent uncomfortable activities were passive limb mobilisation, dressing and transfers. Children with neurological disorders were at increased risk of induced pain., Conclusions: Children with motor disabilities experienced pain during daily care activities. The methodology we propose is valid and can be used in any type of institution for children with motor disability to evaluate and reduce the frequency of care-related pain., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this prospective study was to investigate changes in muscle activity during gait in children with Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Dynamic surface electromyography recordings (EMGs) of 16 children with DMD and pathological gait were compared with those of 15 control children. The activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), medial hamstrings (HS), tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius soleus (GAS) muscles was recorded and analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The overall muscle activity in the children with DMD was significantly different from that of the control group. Percentage activation amplitudes of RF, HS and TA were greater throughout the gait cycle in the children with DMD and the timing of GAS activity differed from the control children. Significantly greater muscle coactivation was found in the children with DMD. There were no significant differences between sides. Since the motor command is normal in DMD, the hyper-activity and co-contractions likely compensate for gait instability and muscle weakness, however may have negative consequences on the muscles and may increase the energy cost of gait. Simple rehabilitative strategies such as targeted physical therapies may improve stability and thus the pattern of muscle activity., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that gleno-humeral deformity in children and adolescent with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy is three-dimensional (3D). The study also compared the metrological properties of typical two-dimensional gleno-humeral measures to the newly developed 3D measures. Thirteen individuals (age = 11.8 ± 3.3 years) with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy participated in this IRB-approved study. 3D axial magnetic resonance images were acquired for both shoulders. Glenoid and humeral models were created in order to quantify 3D glenoid version, humeral head migration, and glenoid concavity. Two-dimensional (2D) measures were acquired as recommended in the literature. All measures were completed by two observers in this observer-blind study. Compared to the non-involved side, the glenoid was more retroverted (7.91°, p = 0.003) and inferiorly oriented (7.28°, p = 0.009). The humeral head was migrated more posteriorly (5.54 mm, p = 0.007), inferiorly (-3.96 mm, p = 0.013), and medially (-3.63 mm,p = 0.002). Eleven of the 13 glenoids were concave, based on the 3D glenoid models. The concurrent validity between three- and 2D measures were highly dependent of the parameter measured, the slice level used for the 2D analysis, and the presence/absence of pathology (0.63 < r < 0.91). The standard error of measurement for the 2D anterior-posterior version (>3°) was larger than that for the 3D measure of version (<1°) on the involved side. This study clearly demonstrated that the gleno-humeral deformation in obstetrical brachial plexus palsy is 3D, emphasizing the need for 3D subject specific gleno-humeral shape analysis for follow-up and treatment plans in children with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy., (© 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: The aims of this study were to evaluate the concurrent validity and reliability of a low-dose biplanar X-ray system (Ld-BPR) for the measurement of femoral anteversion (FA) by comparing Ld-BPR-based three-dimensional measures with CT-scan-based measures and to assess the discriminative ability of this method in children with cerebral palsy., Materials and Methods: Fifty dry femora were scanned using both a CT scan and the Ld-BPR system. Ten femora were artificially modified to mimic a range of anteversion from -30° to +60° and scanned by both modalities. FA was quantified using the images from both modalities and statistically compared for concurrent validity. Intra- and inter-observer reliability of the Ld-BPR system was also determined. Further, Ld-BPR data from 16 hemiplegic and 22 diplegic children were analyzed for its discriminative ability., Results: The concurrent validity between the Ld-BPR and CT-scan measures was excellent (R (2) = 0.83-0.84) and no significant differences were found. The intra- and inter-trial reliability were excellent (ICCs = 0.98 and 0.97) with limits of agreement of (-2.28°; +2.65°) and (-2.76°; +3.38°) respectively. Further, no significant effects of angle or method were found in the sample of modified femora. Ld-BPR measures for FA were significantly different between healthy and impaired femora., Conclusions: The excellent concurrent validity with the CT scan modality, the excellent reliability, and the ability to discriminate pathological conditions evaluated by this study make this radiological method suitable for a validated use across hospitals and research institutes.

Background: The theoretical role of muscle coactivation is to stiffen joints. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between muscle coactivation and joint excursions during gait in children with and without hemiplegic cerebral palsy., Methods: Twelve children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy and twelve typically developing children underwent gait analysis at three different gait speeds. Sagittal hip, knee, and ankle kinematics were divided into their main components corresponding to joint excursions. A coactivation index was calculated for each excursion from the electromyographic envelopes of the rectus femoris/semitendinosus, vastus medialis/semitendinosus, or tibialis anterior/soleus muscles. Mixed linear analyses of covariance modeled joint excursions as a function of the coactivation index and limb., Findings: In typically developing children, increased coactivation was associated with reduced joint excursion for 8 of the 14 linear models (hip flexion, knee loading, knee extension in stance, knee flexion in swing, ankle plantarflexion from initial contact to foot-flat, ankle dorsiflexion in stance and in swing). Conversely, ankle plantarflexion excursion at push-off increased with increasing tibialis anterior/soleus coactivation. In the involved limbs of the children with cerebral palsy, knee loading, ankle plantarflexion at push off, and ankle dorsiflexion in swing decreased, while hip extension increased, with increasing muscle coactivation., Interpretation: The relationships between muscle coactivation and joint excursion were not equally distributed in both groups, and predominant in typically developing children. The results suggest that excessive muscle coactivation is not a cause of stiff-knee gait in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, but appears to be related to spastic drop foot., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the impact of different injection-guiding techniques on the effectiveness of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) for the treatment of focal spasticity and dystonia., Data Sources: MEDLINE via PubMed, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, SpringerLink, Web of Science, EM Premium, and PsycINFO., Study Selection: Two reviewers independently selected studies based on predetermined inclusion criteria., Data Extraction: Data relating to the aim were extracted. Methodological quality was graded independently by 2 reviewers using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database assessment scale for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the Downs and Black evaluation tool for non-RCTs. Level of evidence was determined using the modified Sackett scale., Data Synthesis: Ten studies were included. Seven were randomized. There was strong evidence (level 1) that instrumented guiding (ultrasonography [US], electrical stimulation [ES], electromyogram [EMG]) was more effective than manual needle placement for the treatment of spasmodic torticollis, upper limb spasticity, and spastic equinus in patients with stroke, and spastic equinus in children with cerebral palsy. Three studies provided strong evidence (level 1) of similar effectiveness of US and ES for upper and lower limb spasticity in patients with stroke, and spastic equinus in children with cerebral palsy, but there was poor evidence or no available evidence for EMG or other instrumented techniques., Conclusions: These results strongly recommend instrumented guidance of BoNT-A injection for the treatment of spasticity in adults and children (ES or US), and of focal dystonia such as spasmodic torticollis (EMG). No specific recommendations can be made regarding the choice of instrumented guiding technique, except that US appears to be more effective than ES for spastic equinus in adults with stroke., (Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Distinguishing changes in lower limb muscle activation during gait caused by abnormal motor control or adaptations to the presence of a fixed equinus remains a challenge. The objective of this study was to determine a threshold degree of equinus at which changes in muscle activity occur and to characterize adaptive patterns of muscle activity in typically developing children walking with unilateral induced equinus., Methods: Ten typically developing children were included. A customized orthosis was fitted to the right ankle. Five conditions of dorsiflexion limitation were evaluated: 10° dorsiflexion, 0°, 10°, 20° of plantar flexion and maximum plantar flexion. Muscle activity of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, hamstring, tibialis anterior and soleus muscles of both limbs was recorded., Findings: Significant changes in muscle activation and co-activation occurred from 10° of plantar flexion in the orthosis limb and from maximum plantar flexion in the contralateral limb. Soleus activation occurred prematurely in terminal swing and increased with the degree of equinus. Tibialis anterior activation was increased during initial and midswing and was decreased during terminal swing. From the -20° condition, hamstring activation was increased during the loading response. Vastus lateralis and rectus femoris activation was increased during stance phase. Similar changes in tibialis anterior and soleus activation occurred on the contralateral side. Changes in co-activation occurred in the soleus/tibialis anterior muscle pair in both limbs., Interpretation: This study provides indications regarding changes in muscle activity during simulation of equinus gait which should be helpful for therapeutic decision making., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the pediatric shoulder, injury and pathology can disrupt the muscle force balance, resulting in severe functional losses. As little data exists pertaining to in vivo pediatric shoulder muscle function, musculoskeletal data are crucially needed to advance the treatment of pediatric shoulder pathology/injury. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a pediatric database of in vivo volumes for the major shoulder muscles and correlate these volumes with maximum isometric flexion/extension, internal/external rotation, and abduction/adduction joint moments. A methodology was developed to derive 3D shoulder muscle volumes and to divide the deltoid into sub-units with unique torque producing capabilities, based on segmentation of three-dimensional magnetic resonance images. Eleven typically developing children/adolescents (4F/7M, 12.0 ± 3.2 years, 150.8 ± 16.7 cm, 49.2 ± 16.4 kg) participated. Correlation and regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between volume and maximum, voluntary, isometric joint torques. The deltoid demonstrated the largest (30.4 ± 1.2%) and the supraspinatus the smallest (4.8 ± 0.5%) percent of the total summed volume of all six muscles evaluated. The anterior and posterior deltoid sections were 43.4 ± 3.9% and 56.6 ± 3.9% of the total deltoid volume. The percent volumes were highly consistent across subjects. Individual muscle volumes demonstrated moderate-high correlations with torque values (0.70-0.94, p<0.001). This study presents a comprehensive database documenting normative pediatric shoulder muscle volume. Using these data a clear relationship between shoulder volume and the torques they produce was established in all three rotational degrees-of-freedom. This study furthers the understanding of shoulder muscle function and serves as a foundation for evaluating shoulder injury/pathology in the pediatric/adolescent population., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Methods based on cutaneous markers are the most popular for the recording of three dimensional scapular motion analysis. Numerous methods have been evaluated, each showing different levels of accuracy and reliability. The aim of this review was to report the metrological properties of 3D scapular kinematic measurements using cutaneous markers and to make recommendations based on metrological evidence. A database search was conducted using relevant keywords and inclusion/exclusion criteria in 5 databases. 19 articles were included and assessed using a quality score. Concurrent validity and reliability were analyzed for each method. Six different methods are reported in the literature, each based on different marker locations and post collection computations. The acromion marker cluster (AMC) method coupled with a calibration of the scapula with the arm at rest is the most studied method. Below 90-100° of humeral elevation, this method is accurate to about 5° during arm flexion and 7° during arm abduction compared to palpation (average of the 3 scapular rotation errors). Good to excellent within-session reliability and moderate to excellent between-session reliability have been reported. The AMC method can be improved using different or multiple calibrations. Other methods using different marker locations or more markers on the scapula blade have been described but are less accurate than AMC methods. Based on current metrological evidence we would recommend (1) the use of an AMC located at the junction of the scapular spine and the acromion, (2) the use of a single calibration at rest if the task does not reach 90° of humeral elevation, (3) the use of a second calibration (at 90° or 120° of humeral elevation), or multiple calibrations above 90° of humeral elevation., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: We characterized bilateral shoulder strength and the balance of antagonist/agonist muscle pairs in children with brachial plexus palsy (BPP) and with typical development (TD)., Methods: In 15 children with unilateral BPP and 11 with TD, bilateral maximal isometric shoulder strength in flexion/extension, internal/external rotation, and abduction/adduction was recorded using a hand-held dynamometer. Correlation between strength and active range of motion were evaluated using the Mallet score., Results: Children with BPP had strength asymmetry in all muscles, whereas children with TD had significant strength asymmetry for flexors and abductors. In children with BPP, extensors and external rotators were the weakest muscles, leading to sagittal and transverse plane muscle imbalances. Higher strength values were related to better active range of motion., Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of documenting shoulder strength profiles in children with BPP which may help predict deformity development., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Obstetrical brachial plexus palsy (OBPP) is a common birth injury, resulting in severe functional losses. Yet, little is known about how OBPP affects the 3-dimensional (3D) humeral morphology. Thus, the purpose of this study was to measure the 3D humeral architecture in children with unilateral OBPP., Methods: Thirteen individuals (4 female and 9 male patients; mean age, 11.8 ± 3.3 years; mean Mallet score, 15.1 ± 3.0) participated in this institutional review board approved study. A 3D T1-weighted gradient-recalled echo magnetic resonance image set was acquired for both upper limbs (involved and noninvolved). Humeral size, version, and inclination were quantified from 3D humeral models derived from these images., Results: The involved humeral head was significantly less retroverted and in declination (medial humeral head pointed anteriorly and inferiorly) relative to the noninvolved side. Osseous atrophy was present in all 3 dimensions and affected the entire humerus. The inter-rater reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.96-1.00)., Discussion: This study showed that both humeral atrophy and bone shape deformities associated with OBPP are not limited to the axial plane but are 3D phenomena. Incorporating information related to these multi-planar, 3D humeral deformities into surgical planning could potentially improve functional outcomes after surgery. The documented reduction in retroversion is an osseous adaptation, which may help maintain glenohumeral congruency by partially compensating for the internal rotation of the arm. The humeral head declination is a novel finding and may be an important factor to consider when one is developing OBPP management strategies because it has been shown to lead to significant supraspinatus inefficiencies and increased required elevation forces., (Published by Mosby, Inc.)

Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the current validity and reliability of radiological methods used to measure proximal hip geometry in children with cerebral palsy., Method: A search was conducted using relevant keywords and inclusion/exclusion criteria of the MEDLINE, CINALH Plus, Embase, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier, The Cochrane Library, and PsychINFO databases., Results: The migration percentage using X-rays showed excellent reliability and concurrent validity with three-dimensional (3D) measurements from computed tomography (CT) scans. The acetabular index, measured using X-rays had good reliability but moderate concurrent validity with 3D CT measurements; 3D CT scan indexes had greater reliability. The measurement of the neck shaft angle using X-rays showed excellent concurrent validity with measurements from 3D CT scans and excellent reliability. Regarding femoral anteversion, one study found an excellent correlation between two-dimensional CT and clinical assessment and excellent reliability. Two others showed less evidence for the use of CT ultrasounds., Interpretation: Most of the X-ray-based measurements showed good to excellent metrological properties. More metrological evidence is needed for the assessment of femoral anteversion. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound-based measurements have great potential although very little metrological evidence is available., (© 2013 Mac Keith Press.)

The main aim of this study was to define the threshold angle of equinus beyond which significant changes in 3D lower limb kinematics and kinetics occur in typically developing children and to describe these changes.A customized orthosis was fitted on the right ankle of 10 typically developing children and was adjusted to +10° ankle dorsiflexion, 0°, -10°, -20° plantarflexion and maximum plantarflexion. Gait was analyzed using an optoelectronic system. A gait velocity of 1m/s was imposed.Most of the kinematic and kinetic changes were significantly altered from the -10° condition. In the sagittal plane, the results showed increased knee flexion at initial contact, increased knee flexion or hyperextension in stance, increased hip flexion at initial contact and increased anterior pelvic tilt. Other changes included increased knee varus, reduced hip adduction and more internal foot progression. The ankle plantarflexion moment was bi-phasic during stance, peak ankle power generation was reduced, peak knee extension moment was decreased and hip extension moments increased. On the contralateral side, there was a significant increase in ankle plantarflexion at initial contact and a significant decrease in knee flexion during swing phaseat maximum plantarflexion.Although slight modifications occurred for smaller degrees of equinus, the results suggest that significant kinematic and kinetic changes occurred during gait in both limbs from 10° of plantarflexion. The results of this study also provide some indications regarding the primary causes of gait deviations and secondary compensatory strategiesin children with a clinical dorsiflexion limitation., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To describe the amount of medical and paramedical involvement in a sample of Breton children with cerebral palsy as a function of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS)., Materials and Methods: This is a transversal descriptive study. All children with cerebral palsy in Brittany were eligible. Parents who accepted to participate were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding medical and paramedical involvement with their child., Results: One hundred and thirty-three parents participated. 40.6% of the children were level I on the GMFCS, 20.3% II, 12.03% III, 13.53% IV and 13.53% were level V. Thirty-nine percent of the children took at least one medication (of which 43% were antiepileptic drugs). 33.1% of the children had received at least one injection of botulinum toxin within the year. Forty-four percent used a mobility aid. Eighty-five percent of the children had at least one orthotic device, most often a night ankle-foot orthosis. The median number of rehabilitation sessions per week was 3.85 [0.5-11.5]. The frequency and type of sessions were mostly related to the GMFCS level., Conclusion: This study reports high levels of medical and paramedical involvement. Studies must attempt to define optimal practice., (Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Background: Physiological co-activation of antagonistic muscles during gait allows stability of loaded joints. Excessive co-activation restrains motion and increases energy expenditure. Co-activation is increased by gait speed and in the case of upper motor neuron lesions. This study aimed to assess the pathological component of co-activation in children with unilateral cerebral palsy., Methods: 10 children with unilateral cerebral palsy and 10 typically developing children walked at spontaneous, slow and fast speeds. The spatio-temporal parameters and electromyographic activity of the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, semi-tendinosus, tibialis anterior and soleus of both lower limbs were recorded. A co-activation index was computed from the EMG envelopes. A mixed linear model was used to assess the effect of walking speed on the index of the antagonistic muscle couples (rectus femoris/semi-tendinosus, vastus medialis/semi-tendinosus and tibialis anterior/soleus) in the different limbs., Findings: A greater effect of walking speed on co-activation was found in the involved limbs of children with cerebral palsy for all muscle couples, compared with their uninvolved limbs and the limbs of typically developing children. In typically developing children, but not in children with cerebral palsy, the effect of gait speed on the co-activation index was lower in the rectus femoris/semi-tendinosus than in the other agonist/antagonist muscle couples., Interpretations: In children with cerebral palsy, a pathological component of muscle activation might be responsible for the greater increase in co-activation with gait speed in the involved limb. Altered motor control could explain why the co-activation in the rectus femoris/semi-tendinosus couple becomes more sensitive to speed., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Functional methods can be used to determine the centre of rotation (CoR) of a ball-and-socket joint. The algorithms are used to locate rather the hip joint centre than the glenohumeral joint centre. The choice of the most suitable method depends especially on the intra- and inter-session repeatability of these methods. This paper aims at evaluating the intra- and inter-session repeatability of functional methods with which the glenohumeral joint rotation centre (GHRC) can be estimated in vivo. It also estimates the most suitable amplitude of functional movements. Five functional methods were tested: the algorithms of Gamage and Lasenby, bias compensation, symmetrical CoR estimation, normalisation method and helical axis. Ten subjects performed three cycles of three different movements (flexion-extension, abduction-adduction and circumduction). These movements were repeated three times with three different ranges of motion. Six subjects came back in order to evaluate the inter-session repeatability. For each test, the location of the GHRC was estimated by the five methods. The method to solve the functional problem and the range of functional movement affected the GHRC location. The results showed a good to excellent intra-session repeatability. The lowest repeatability error was found for the high amplitude whatever the methods used. The inter-session reliability was moderate. Finally, we suggest the use of functional methods with high amplitude movement in order to locate the GHRC with the best reliability.

In biomechanical modelling and motion analysis, the use of personalised data such as bone geometry would provide more accurate and reliable results. However, there are still a limited number of tools used to measure the evolution of articular interactions. This paper proposes a coherence index to describe the articular status of contact surfaces during motion. The index relies on a robust estimation of the evolution of surfacic interactions between the joint surfaces. The index is first compared to distance maps on simulated motions. It is then used to compare two motion capture protocols (two different localisations of the markers for scapula tracking). The results show that the index detects progressive modifications in the joint and allows distinguishing the two protocols, in accordance with the literature. In the future, the index could, among other things, be used to compare/improve biomechanical models and motion analysis protocols.

Background: The pathophysiology of abnormal shoulder motion in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy is not yet well understood. The aim of this study was to compare the motion of the two principle shoulder joints in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy and typically developing children., Methods: 10 children in each group carried out 6 tasks recorded by an optoelectronic system. The analysis protocol was based on an acromion marker cluster, a functional method to determine the gleno-humeral rotation center and different Euler sequences thus providing three dimensional thoraco-humeral, scapulo-thoracic and gleno-humeral kinematics during upper-limb motion., Findings: In the children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, the scapulo-thoracic joint was more protracted (P<0.05) and tended to be more laterally rotated depending on the tasks and the degree of humeral elevation. The gleno-humeral joint was limited in elevation (P<0.09), internal rotation (P<0.05) and plane of elevation (P<0.05) depending on the task. At rest, the orientation of the arm was more related to the scapular posture than to the gleno-humeral orientation, the latter which appeared to compensate the initial internal arm rotation at the beginning of the motion., Interpretation: The scapulo-thoracic joint plays a key role in arm posture at rest and during motion but does not seem to limit arm motion. The gleno-humeral joint compensates the scapula orientation at small degrees of humeral elevation but has a reduced total range of motion. Clinical management should focus on both joints taking into account their respective roles in upper-limb motion in this population., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Shoulder motion has been mainly analysed in children based on thoraco-humeral (TH) joint kinematics, excluding the scapula-thoracic (ST) and gleno-humeral (GH) joints. In order to measure 3D scapulo-humeral motion using an optoelectronic system, we propose a protocol based on an acromion marker cluster (AMC), a functional method to determine the gleno-humeral rotation centre and different Euler sequences. This study investigated the validity of the AMC compared to the palpation of anatomical landmarks with a scapula locator, assessed the intra-session repeatability and the ability to discriminate differences of such a protocol in 10 typically developing children (TD) and 10 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) during 6 different tasks (flexion, abduction, horizontal abduction, hand to head, hand to controlateral shoulder and hand to back pocket). For both populations, the AMC method showed an overall Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 5.5°. The AMC method under-estimated the protraction/retraction of the scapula during abduction. The within-session reliability was good to excellent for all tasks except the hand to back pocket task. The YXY recommended Euler sequence for TH and GH joints resulted in gimbal lock for most of the tasks whereas the XZY sequence could be used for most of the tasks and most of the children., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To determine technical and clinical factors associated with pain when using an analgesic protocol with 50% nitrous oxide/oxygen and anesthetic cream (lidocaine and prilocaine, Emla(®)) for children with cerebral palsy undergoing botulinum toxin injections., Methods: Monocentric prospective study including 50 children newly injected with a mean age of 6.6 years (± 4.32, range 1-18) and 199 injected muscles. Pain was evaluated using the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS). The following variables were noted: gender, age, weight, Gross Motor Function Classification System, type of cerebral palsy (hemiplegic, diplegic, tetraplegic), muscles injected and severe cognitive impairment. The procedure was broken down into three phases for the purpose of pain evaluation: puncture, muscle localization using electrostimulation and injection of botulinum toxin., Results: The mean CHEOPS score was 8.16 (± 3.5) and 38% of scores were above the therapeutic threshold of 9. The injection phase was significantly more painful (6.77 ± 3.30) than the puncture (4.88 ± 2.03) and localization (5.46 ± 2.68) phases. The adductor muscles were less painful than other muscles. Children with more severe cognitive impairment seemed to perceive higher levels of pain than the others. Other clinical factors were not associated with pain score., Conclusion: Clinical characteristics seem not strongly correlated to the success or failure of the 50% nitrous oxide/oxygen-Emla(®) protocol and this pain treatment protocol does not prevent equally all phases of botulinum toxin injections. Future research on the products and its dilution might help to reduce pain level., (Copyright © 2011 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The most recent non-invasive methods for the recording of scapular motion are based on an acromion marker (AM) set and a single calibration (SC) of the scapula in a resting position. However, this method fails to accurately measure scapular kinematics above 90° of arm elevation, due to soft tissue artifacts of the skin and muscles covering the acromion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy, and inter-trial and inter-session repeatability of a double calibration method (DC) in comparison with SC. The SC and DC data were measured with an optoelectronic system during arm flexion and abduction at different angles of elevation (0-180°). They were compared with palpation of the scapula using a scapula locator. DC data was not significantly different from palpation for 5/6 axes of rotation tested (Y, X, and Z in abduction and flexion), where as SC showed significant differences for 5/6 axes. The root mean square errors ranged from 2.96° to 4.48° for DC and from 6° to 9.19° for SC. The inter-trial repeatability was good to excellent for SC and DC. The inter-session repeatability was moderate to excellent for SC and moderate to good for DC. Coupling AM and DC is an easy-to-use method, which yields accurate and reliable measurements of scapular kinematics for the complete range of arm motion. It can be applied to the measurement of shoulder motion in many fields (sports, orthopaedics, and rehabilitation), especially when large ranges of arm motion are required., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: The field of new technologies for upper-limb rehabilitation is exploding. The review presents new trends and studies of effectiveness from recent literature regarding robots, virtual reality and telerehabilitation for neurorehabilitation of the upper limb., Recent Findings: There appears to be a greater focus on technological developments than on clinical trials or studies to evaluate the mechanisms behind the effectiveness of these systems. Developments are most abundant in the field of robotics. However, the first well designed and powered randomized-controlled trial on robot rehabilitation has appeared, confirming that the effectiveness of robot therapy lies in the number of repetitions provided. There is a move towards studies in populations other than stroke, particularly cerebral palsy with a few studies on multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury. There is also an increasing trend for the use of robotic devices as evaluation tools., Summary: Despite the fact that new technologies are based on knowledge from motor control and learning literature and that they provide an exciting potential for varied rehabilitation, recent evidence suggests that the only contribution to clinical practice currently is the provision of intensive, repetitive movements.

The aim of this study is to determine the errors of scapular localisation due to skin relative to bone motion with an optoelectronic tracking system. We compared three-dimensional (3D) scapular positions obtained with skin markers to those obtained through palpation of three scapular anatomical landmarks. The scapular kinematics of nine subjects were collected. Static positions of the scapula were recorded with the right arm elevated at 0 degrees, 40 degrees, 80 degrees, 120 degrees and 160 degrees in the sagittal plane. Palpation and subsequent digitization of anatomical landmarks on scapula and thorax were done at the same positions. Scapular 3D orientation was also computed during 10 repeated movements of arm elevation between 0 degrees and 180 degrees. Significant differences in scapular kinematics were seen between static positions and palpation when considering anterior/posterior tilt and upward/downward rotation at angles over 120 degrees of humeral elevation and only at 120 degrees for internal/external rotation. There was no significant difference between positions computed during static positions and during the movement for the three scapular orientations. A rotation correction model is presented in order to reduce the errors between static position and palpation measurement.

Several algorithms have been proposed for determining the centre of rotation of ball joints. These algorithms are used rather to locate the hip joint centre. Few studies have focused on the determination of the glenohumeral joint centre. However, no studies have assessed the accuracy and repeatability of functional methods for glenohumeral joint centre. This paper aims at evaluating the accuracy and the repeatability with which the glenohumeral joint rotation centre (GHRC) can be estimated in vivo by functional methods. The reference joint centre is the glenohumeral anatomical centre obtained by medical imaging. Five functional methods were tested: the algorithm of Gamage and Lasenby (2002), bias compensated (Halvorsen, 2003), symmetrical centre of rotation estimation (Ehrig et al., 2006), normalization method (Chang and Pollard, 2007), helical axis (Woltring et al., 1985). The glenohumeral anatomical centre (GHAC) was deduced from the fitting of the humeral head. Four subjects performed three cycles of three different movements (flexion/extension, abduction/adduction and circumduction). For each test, the location of the glenohumeral joint centre was estimated by the five methods. Analyses focused on the 3D location, on the repeatability of location and on the accuracy by computing the Euclidian distance between the estimated GHRC and the GHAC. For all the methods, the error repeatability was inferior to 8.25 mm. This study showed that there are significant differences between the five functional methods. The smallest distance between the estimated joint centre and the centre of the humeral head was obtained with the method of Gamage and Lasenby (2002)., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of an analgesic protocol with nitrous oxide and anaesthetic cream (lidocaine and prilocaine, EMLA) for children undergoing botulinum toxin injections., Patients and Methods: Prospective study including 51 injection sessions, 34 children with a mean age of 5.94 (range 2-15) and 209 injected muscles. Pain was evaluated with the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Face Pain Scale (FPS) for the children and with a VAS for the parents., Results: CHEOPS score for the 51 sessions was 8.50 (S.D. 3.56). Forty-nine percent of scores were above the therapeutic threshold of 9; 25% of the children evaluated the pain above the therapeutic threshold of 3; 44.74% of the parents' estimations exceeded 3. No correlation was found between age, weight, number of injected muscle and CHEOPS score., Conclusion: The association of MEOPA and anaesthetic cream is only effective for 50% of children. This is much lower than treatments for other types of acute induced pain in children. Botulinum toxin injections and cerebral palsy children present certain specificities which require improvements in this analgesic protocol.

We report an unexpected characteristic of dislocation cores in silicon. Using first-principles calculations, we show that all of the stable core configurations for a nondissociated 60 degrees dislocation are sessile. The only glissile configuration, previously obtained by nucleation from surfaces, surprisingly corresponds to an unstable core. As a result, the 60 degrees dislocation motion is solely driven by stress, with no thermal activation. We predict that this original feature could be relevant in situations for which large stresses occur, such as mechanical deformation at room temperature. Our work also suggests that postmortem observations of stable dislocations could be misleading and that mobile unstable dislocation cores should be taken into account in theoretical investigations.

This study assessed the effects of continuous intrathecal infusion of baclofen on the gait of ambulant children with cerebral palsy. Details, collected retrospectively before and after pump implantation, included Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire score, use of walking aids, Ashworth Scale score, and joint angle at which the stretch reflex was triggered. Twenty-one ambulant children and young adults with cerebral palsy were included. Their mean age was 11 years and 10 months (standard deviation, 4 years and 10 months; range, 6-22 years). The mean length of treatment was 25.8 months (range, 5-75 months). After treatment, the lower-limb Ashworth score decreased by 1.4 points (standard deviation, 0.52), and the Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire score increased significantly, from 5.04 (standard deviation, 2.08) to 6.09 (standard deviation, 2.05) (P < 0.05). Seven children were able to use less supportive walking aids. Continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion appears to decrease spasticity and improve the gait capacity of children with cerebral palsy. Prospective, controlled studies are necessary to prove the functional effect of intrathecal baclofen infusion.

Objective: To assess the effect of continuous intrathecal baclofen infusion (ITB) on gait parameters of ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP)., Methods: The assessment before and 16 months after ITB on seven children with CP (mean age 15 years, SD 5.4) included: Ashworth scale score, range of motion (hip, knee, ankle), Gillette functional assessment questionnaire (FAQ), joint kinematics, spatiotemporal parameters and Gillette Gait Index (GGI)., Results: Gillette FAQ significantly improved from 6.1 to 7.1. Mean GGI improved from 554.50 to 489.25, which was not significant although the improvement was large for three children. Parameters in the sagittal plane were significantly modified with a significant increase in step length (0.65 m to 0.74 m) and a significant increase in hip extension during stance phase (32.25 degrees to 21.6 degrees ). These results were correlated to clinical assessments., Conclusion: ITB seems to improve sagittal gait parameters of children and young adults with CP.

Objective: To measure the acquisition, use and satisfaction with high technology equipment by spinal cord injured tetraplegic subjects., Design and Setting: A questionnaire was mailed to 102 tetraplegic subjects who were hospitalised in the rehabilitation center of Kerpape (Ploemeur, France) between 1998 and 2004, and 59 subjects responded. The questionnaire asked about the use of telephones, computers, wheelchairs and environmental controls at home., Results: When a piece of equipment was acquired, it was very often used. Patient satisfaction with equipment was 79.3%. Home phones and mobile phones were often used with options such as hands-free devices (78 and 59% respectively). A total of 64.4% of subjects acquired a manual wheelchair and 61% a power wheelchair. The most commonly acquired options on the power wheelchairs were the powered recline (73,7%) and tilt (71,1%) systems. All options were used but all were more desired than acquired. A total of 27.1% of subjects desired a pushrim-activated power-assist wheelchair, but only 15.3% had acquired one; 695% of subjects had a computer. Communication was the first use for the computer (82.5%); 49.2% of subjects had acquired an environmental control system, but 20% desired one. The first reason for lack of acquisition was financial difficulties but also accessibility and information problems. The factor that influenced the acquisition and need for equipment was the degree of spinal cord injury. No other factor reduced patient satisfaction with equipment., Conclusion: Patients were satisfied with the equipment they acquired. But their needs, especially wheelchair options and environmental control systems, were not satisfied.