Quantifying Patient-Specific Changes in Neuromuscular Control in Cerebral Palsy



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:Neurology
Therapuetic Areas:Neurology
Healthy:No
Age Range:6 - 18
Updated:5/10/2018
Start Date:September 2015
End Date:June 2020
Contact:Katherine M Steele, PhD
Email:kmsteele@uw.edu
Phone:206-685-2390

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Impaired neuromuscular control hinders movement for individuals with cerebral palsy and other
neurological disorders. In this research, the investigators are developing new tools to
quantify impaired neuromuscular control in cerebral palsy and evaluate changes after one of
the most common treatments, orthopaedic surgery. The results from this research will empower
clinicians to identify patient-specific factors that contribute to impaired movement and
improve treatment and quality of life.

The long-term goals of this research are to quantify patient-specific changes in
neuromuscular control in order to optimize treatment planning and improve mobility for
individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). As a first step, the aims of this proposal are to
evaluate neuromuscular control before and after one of the most common treatments for
individuals with CP, orthopaedic surgery. The investigators will evaluate if patient-specific
measures of neuromuscular control, based upon the framework of muscle synergies, can predict
improvements in walking ability after surgery. Further, investigators will determine whether
neuromuscular control changes after surgery and if these changes contribute to improvements
in movement. To achieve these goal the investigators will implement and test new tools to
quantify neuromuscular control which integrate clinical gait analysis and two computational
techniques: synergy analysis and dynamic musculoskeletal simulation. This research will
provide the foundation to use measures of altered neuromuscular control to inform treatment
planning, develop alternative treatments, and improve mobility in CP and other neurologic
disorders.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Diplegic cerebral palsy

- Mild or Moderate Impairment, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Levels
I-III

- Will receive follow-up care and physical therapy within the Gillette Children's
Specialty Healthcare system

Exclusion Criteria:

- Botulinum toxin injections, baclofen, or other similar treatments in the 3 months
prior to pre-operative gait analysis
We found this trial at
1
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Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101
Phone: 651-229-3929
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