Association between isometric muscle strength and gait joint kinetics in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy

Dallmeijer, AJ; Baker, RJ; Dodd, KJ; Taylor, NF

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between isometric muscle strength of the lower limbs and gait joint kinetics in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy (CP). Twenty-five participants (11 males) with bilateral spastic CP, aged 14–22 years (mean: 18.9, sd: 2.0 yr) and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level II (n = 19) and III (n = 6) were tested. Hand held dynamometry was used to measure isometric strength (expressed in N m/kg) of the hip, knee, and ankle
muscles using standardized testing positions and procedures. 3D gait analysis was performed with a
VICON system to calculate joint kinetics in the hip, knee and ankle during gait. Ankle peak moments
exceeded by far the levels of isometric strength of the plantar flexors, while the knee and hip peak
moments were just at or below maximal isometric strength of knee and hip muscles. Isometric muscle
strength showed weak to moderate correlations with peak ankle and hip extension moment and power during walking. Despite considerable muscle weakness, joint moment curves were similar to norm values. Results suggest that passive stretch of the muscle–tendon complex of the triceps surae
contributes to the ankle moment during walking and that muscle strength assessment may provide additional information to gait kinetics

Citation

Dallmeijer, A., Baker, R., Dodd, K., & Taylor, N. (2011). Association between isometric muscle strength and gait joint kinetics in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy. Gait & Posture, 33(3), 326-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.10.092

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2011
• Deposit Date: Sep 27, 2011
• Journal: Gait & Posture
• Print ISSN: 0966-6362
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 326-332
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.10.092
• Keywords: Cerebral palsy, joint kinetics, gait, isometric muscle strength
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.10.092