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Background: Severity of dyskinesia in children with cerebral palsy is often assessed using observation-based clinical tools. Instrumented methods to objectively measure dyskinesia have been proposed to improve assessment accuracy and reliability. Here, we investigated the technique and movement features that were most suitable to objectively measure the severity of dystonia in children with cerebral palsy., Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted with 12 participants with cerebral palsy with a predominant motor type of dyskinesia, spasticity, or mixed dyskinesia/spasticity who had upper limb involvement (mean age: 12.6 years, range: 6.7-18.2 years). Kinematic and electromyography data were collected bilaterally during three upper limb tasks. Spearman rank correlations of kinematic or electromyography features were calculated against dystonia severity, quantified by the Dyskinesia Impairment Scale., Findings: Kinematic features were more influential compared to electromyography features at grading the severity of dystonia in children with cerebral palsy. Kinematic measures quantifying jerkiness of volitional movement during an upper limb task with a reaching component performed best (|r s | = 0.78-0.9, p < 0.001)., Interpretation: This study provides guidance on the types of data, features of movement, and activity protocols that instrumented methods should focus on when objectively measuring the severity of dystonia in children with cerebral palsy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Aim: To determine the dose-response relationship of collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) on collagen content and the change in muscle fiber bundle stiffness after ex vivo treatment of adductor longus biopsies with CCH in children with cerebral palsy (CP)., Method: Biopsy samples of adductor longus from children with CP (classified in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels IV and V) were treated with 0 U/mL, 200 U/mL, 350 U/mL, or 500 U/mL CCH; percentage collagen reduction was measured to determine the dose-response. Peak and steady-state stresses were determined at 1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% strain increments; Young's modulus was calculated., Results: Eleven patients were enrolled (nine males, two females, mean age at surgery 6 years 5 months; range: 2-16 years). A linear CCH dose-response relationship was determined. Peak and steady-state stress generation increased linearly at 5.9/2.3mN/mm 2 , 12.4/5.3mN/mm 2 , 22.2/9.7mN/mm 2 , and 33.3/15.5mN/mm 2 at each percentage strain increment respectively. After CCH treatment, peak and steady-state stress generation decreased to 3.2/1.2mN/mm 2 , 6.5/2.9mN/mm 2 , 12.2/5.7mN/mm 2 , and 15.4/7.7mN/mm 2 respectively (p < 0.004). Young's modulus decreased from 205 kPa to 100 kPa after CCH (p = 0.003)., Interpretation: This preclinical ex vivo study provides proof of concept for the use of collagenase to decrease muscle stiffness in individuals with CP., (© 2023 Mac Keith Press.)

Background and Objectives: Single-Event Multi-Level Surgery (SEMLS) is a complex surgical programme in which soft tissue contractures and bony torsional deformities at the ankle, knee and hip, in both lower limbs are surgically corrected during a single operative session, requiring one hospital admission and one period of rehabilitation. The aim of SEMLS is to improve gait and function in ambulant children with cerebral palsy. Utilisation of the SEMLS concept can reduce the number of surgical events, hospital inpatient stays and reduce rehabilitation requirements to a single intensive episode. Three-dimensional gait analysis is a pre-requisite to plan intervention at multiple anatomic levels to correct fixed deformities and to improve gait and function. Materials and Methods : This study was a bibliometric analysis of SEMLS in cerebral palsy using the Clarivate Web of Science Core Collection database from 1900 to 29 May 2023. Results : A total of 84 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most highly cited article was "Correction of severe crouch gait in patients with spastic diplegia with use of multilevel orthopaedic surgery" by Rodda et al. (2006) with 141 citations. The most productive institutions by number of articles were the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (Australia), Murdoch Children's Research Institute (Australia) and University of Melbourne (Australia). The most productive author by number of citations was HK Graham (Australia). Conclusions : The literature base for SEMLS consists largely of retrospective cohort studies. The aforementioned three institutes in Melbourne, Australia, which frequently collaborate together, have contributed the greatest number of studies in this field.

Introduction: Impaired hip kinematics and kinetics may incite patellar instability. This study tested the hypothesis that hip adduction and internal rotation angles during gait are higher in adolescents with recurrent patellar dislocations compared to healthy controls., Material and Methods: Case-control study. Eighty-eight knees (67 patients) with recurrent patellar dislocation (mean age 14.8 years ± 2.8 SD) were compared to 54 healthy knees (27 individuals, 14.9 years ± 2.4 SD). Peak hip, knee and pelvis kinematics and kinetics were captured using 3D-gait analysis (VICON, 12 cameras, 200 Hz, Plug-in-Gait, two force plates) and compared between the two groups. One cycle (100%) consisted of 51 data points. The mean of six trials was computed., Results: Peak hip adduction angles and abduction moments were significantly higher in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation compared to the control group (p < 0.001 and 0.002, respectively). Peak internal hip rotation did not differ significantly., Conclusion: Elevated hip adduction angles and higher hip abduction moments in gait of adolescents with recurrent patellar dislocation may indicate an impaired function of hip abductors that contributes to patellar instability., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: When determining the dimensions of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft in children, bone age should be considered in addition to the patient's age, gender, and body height., Objectives: We aimed to determine the relationship between age, gender, and ACL dimensions as well as thickness of growth plate cartilage of the distal femur during puberty., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed MRI scans of the knee in 131 children (82 girls, 49 boys) aged 6-18 years (mean age: 14.9 ± 2.6 years). ACL length and width as well as thickness of the growth plate cartilage at the distal femoral epiphysis were measured., Results: Mean ACL length increased linearly up to the age of 12 years in females and 14 years in males; thereafter, mean ACL length remained constant. Mean ACL length was largest at the age of 12 to < 13 years (38.18 mm) in females and at 15 to < 16 years (39.38 mm) in males. Mean ACL width increased up to the age of 12 years in girls and 13 years in boys. After the age of 12 years, both the ACL length and width were significantly larger in boys than girls (p = 0.002 and p = 0.045, respectively). Mean thickness of the growth plate cartilage of the distal femur remained stable up to the age of 12 years in girls and 14 years in boys. Thickness of the growth plate cartilage changed most markedly between the age intervals of 11 to < 12 years and 12 to < 13 years in girls and between the age intervals of 13 to < 14 years and 14 to < 15 years in boys., Conclusions: ACL dimensions depended on both age and gender during the growth period. Measurement of cartilage thickness of the femoral distal growth plate proved to be an objective parameter to assess the maturation stage of local bone. This may be useful for the planning and timing of orthopedic ACL procedures., Level of Evidence: III-retrospective cohort study., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Hip displacement is the second most common musculoskeletal deformity in children with cerebral palsy. Hip surveillance programs have been implemented in many countries to detect hip displacement early when it is usually asymptomatic. The aim of hip surveillance is to monitor hip development to offer management options to slow or reverse hip displacement, and to provide the best opportunity for good hip health at skeletal maturity. The long-term goal is to avoid the sequelae of late hip dislocation which may include pain, fixed deformity, loss of function and impaired quality of life. The focus of this review is on areas of disagreement, areas where evidence is lacking, ethical dilemmas and areas for future research. There is already broad agreement on how to conduct hip surveillance, using a combination of standardised physical examination measures and radiographic examination of the hips. The frequency is dictated by the risk of hip displacement according to the child's ambulatory status. Management of both early and late hip displacement is more controversial and the evidence base in key areas is relatively weak. In this review, we summarise the recent literature on hip surveillance and highlight the management dilemmas and controversies. Better understanding of the causes of hip displacement may lead to interventions which target the pathophysiology of hip displacement and the pathological anatomy of the hip in children with cerebral palsy. We have identified the need for more effective and integrated management from early childhood to skeletal maturity. Areas for future research are highlighted and a range of ethical and management dilemmas are discussed.

Background: Gastrocsoleus lengthening (GSL) is the most common surgical procedure to treat equinus deformity in ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP). Foot drop, where the ankle remains in plantarflexion during swing phase, can persist in some children post-operatively. There is currently limited understanding of which children will demonstrate persistent foot drop after GSL., Research Question: Which children develop persistent foot drop after GSL surgery for equinus?, Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on ambulant children with CP who had GSL surgery for fixed equinus deformity. The aims of the study were: to determine the frequency of persistent foot drop post-operatively and to compare outcome parameters from physical examination and three-dimensional gait analysis for children with hemiplegia or diplegia., Results: One hundred and ten children functioning at GMFCS Levels I/II/III of 28/75/7 met the inclusion criteria for this study. There were 71 boys and mean age was 9.1 years at time of GSL surgery. The overall frequency of persistent foot drop was 25%, with a higher frequency of persistent foot drop in children with hemiplegia (42%) than children with diplegia (19%). There were significant improvements in dorsiflexor strength and in selective motor control in children with diplegia but not in children with hemiplegia. Mean (SD) pre-operative mid-swing ankle dorsiflexion for children with hemiplegia was - 14.0° (9.9°) and improved post-operatively to - 1.6° (5.5°). For children with diplegia, the pre-operative mid-swing ankle dorsiflexion was - 12.1° (12.9°) and improved post-operatively to + 4.2° (6.9°)., Significance: Foot drop is present following GSL surgery for fixed equinus deformity in a significant number of children with hemiplegia and to a lesser extent in children with diplegia, which may reflect a difference in the central nervous system lesion between these groups. New management approaches are required for this important and unsolved problem., Competing Interests: Declarations of Interest The authors declare no financial or personal conflict of interest with respect to this study. No external funding was received in support of this study. Kerr Graham received non-financial support from NHMRC, CP-Achieve., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The impact of botulinum neurotoxin-A (BoNT-A) on functional outcomes when managing focal muscle spasticity remains unclear. It is possible that randomised controlled trial (RCT) design and/or reporting may be a contributing factor. The objective of this review was to determine the extent to which RCTs evaluating functional outcomes following BoNT-A align with focal spasticity guidelines., Materials and Methods: RCTs published from 2010 were included if they targeted focal spasticity, included BoNT-A, randomised a physical intervention to the upper/lower limb, or the primary outcome(s) related to the activity/participation domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Data extraction and quality appraisal using the Modified PEDro and Modified McMasters Tool were performed independently by two reviewers. General research practices were also extracted such as compliance with therapy reporting guidelines., Results: Fifty-two RCTs were eligible. Individualised goal setting was uncommon (25%). Six studies (11.5%) included multi-disciplinary management, and five (9.6%) included patient/caregiver education. Four studies (7.7%) measured outcomes beyond 6 months. The Median Modified PEDro score was 11/15., Conclusions: Alignment with focal spasticity guidelines in RCTs was generally low. Our understanding of the impact of focal spasticity management on functional outcomes may be improved if RCT design aligned more closely with guideline recommendations.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe influence of BoNT-A on improved functional outcomes is yet to be determined.Individualised goal setting with a multi-disciplinary team is uncommon in an RCT design, despite it being a key guideline recommendation.Given the long-term nature of spasticity management, guidelines recommend short as well as long-term reviews following intervention however RCTs rarely assess beyond 6 months.

Purpose: The aim of this article was to compare longitudinal changes in hip morphology in cerebral palsy (hypertonic) and spinal muscular atrophy (hypotonic) to examine the influence of muscle tone on development of hip displacement., Methods: Children with spinal muscular atrophy (Types I and II) and cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System IV and V) with hip displacement (migration percentage >30%) were included. Head shaft angle, migration percentage, and acetabular index were measured at T1 (1-2.5 years), T2 (3-5 years), and T3 (6-8 years). Analysis of variance testing and linear regression were utilized., Results: Sixty patients (cerebral palsy, N = 41; spinal muscular atrophy, N = 19) were included. Hip displacement occurred earlier in spinal muscular atrophy (34 months) than cerebral palsy (49 months) (p = 0.003). Head shaft angle was high and did not change between T1, T2, and T3, but significant changes in migration percentage were found (cerebral palsy: 23%, 36%, 45% (p < 0.01) and spinal muscular atrophy: 37%, 57%, 61% (p = 0.02)). Migration percentage increased by age in cerebral palsy (r = 0.41, p < 0.001), but not in spinal muscular atrophy (r = 0.18, p = 0.09). Acetabular index increased with migration percentage (cerebral palsy: r = 0.41, p < 0.001; spinal muscular atrophy: r = 0.48, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Persistent lateral physeal tilt by head shaft angle was found for both spinal muscular atrophy and cerebral palsy. Abnormal physeal alignment may be causally related to weakness of the hip abductor muscles rather than spasticity or muscle imbalance, resulting in coxa valga and secondary acetabular dysplasia., Level of Evidence: III (case-control study)., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Background and Objectives : Ambulant children with cerebral palsy can demonstrate persistent "foot drop" after successful gastrocsoleus lengthening (GSL) surgery for equinus deformity. This may be due to inadequate strength and/or selective motor control of the ankle dorsiflexor muscles. A procedure has been developed to reduce foot drop-Tibialis Anterior Tendon Shortening (TATS), to be performed in conjunction with GSL. However, it is currently unclear how ankle dorsiflexor function changes after surgery and which children could benefit from TATS. This review summarises changes in ankle dorsiflexor function after GSL for equinus, as reported in the literature. Methods : A search was performed of the Medline, Embase and PubMed databases from 1980 to 5 March 2021. Keywords included "cerebral palsy", "equinus deformity", "orthopedic procedures" and "gait analysis". The search identified 1974 studies. Thirty-three cohort studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Results : Twenty-two studies reported improvement in swing phase ankle dorsiflexion kinematics, after GSL. There was also evidence that clinical measures of ankle dorsiflexor strength improved after surgery. Four studies reported changes in selective motor control, with mixed results across the studies. Conclusions : There is good evidence that swing phase ankle dorsiflexion improves after GSL surgery. Although, there is limited evidence that this correlates with reduced foot drop or diminished need for an ankle-foot orthosis. Future research should be prospective, randomised, include a large sample size, and should focus on identifying the optimal candidates for TATS.

Until recently, there has been little interest in understanding the intrinsic features associated with the pathomorphology of skeletal muscle in cerebral palsy (CP). Coupled with emerging evidence that challenges the role of spasticity as a determinant of gross motor function and in the development of fixed muscle contractures, it has become increasingly important to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for muscle alterations in CP. This knowledge can help clinicians to understand and apply treatment modalities that take these aspects into account. Thus, the inherent heterogeneity of the CP phenotype allows for the potential of personalized medicine through the understanding of muscle pathomorphology on an individual basis and tailoring treatment approaches accordingly. This review aims to summarize recent developments in the understanding of CP muscle and their relationship to musculoskeletal manifestations, in addition to proposing a treatment paradigm that incorporates this new knowledge., (© 2021 Mac Keith Press.)

Aim: This study investigated the prevalence of scoliosis in a large, population-based cohort of individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) at skeletal maturity to identify associated risk factors that may inform scoliosis surveillance., Methods: Young people with CP born between 1990 and 1992 were reviewed through routine orthopaedic review or a transition clinic. Classification of CP was recorded by movement disorder, distribution, gross and fine motor function. Clinical examination was undertaken and those with clinical evidence of scoliosis or risk factors had radiographs of the spine. Scoliosis severity was measured and categorised by Cobb angle., Results: Two hundred and ninety-two individuals were evaluated (78% of the birth cohort) at a mean age of 21 years, 4 months (range 16-29 years). Scoliosis (Cobb angle >10°) was found in 41%, with strong associations to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Manual Abilities Classification System (MACS) and dystonic/mixed movement disorders. Those at GMFCS V were 23.4 times (95%CI 9.9-55.6) more likely to develop scoliosis than those at GMFCS I. Severe curves (Cobb >40°, 13% of the cohort) were found almost exclusively in those functioning at GMFCS IV and V, and were 18.2 times (95%CI 6.9-48.5) more likely to occur in those with dystonia than those with spasticity., Conclusions: Scoliosis was very common in young people with CP, with prevalence and severity strongly associated with GMFCS and MACS level and dystonic movement disorder. Severe curves were almost exclusively found in non-ambulant children. Clinical screening for scoliosis should occur for all children with CP, with radiographic surveillance focusing on those functioning at GMFCS IV and V., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).)