Characterization of spasticity in cerebral palsy: dependence of catch angle on velocity

• Published in: Developmental medicine and child neurology 2010-06, Vol.52 (6), p.563-569
• Main Authors: WU, YI‐NING, REN, YUPENG, GOLDSMITH, ASHLEE, GAEBLER, DEBORAH, LIU, SHU Q, ZHANG, LI‐QUN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anatomy; Arm - physiopathology; Biomechanical Phenomena; Biomechanics; Cerebral Palsy; Cerebral Palsy - complications; Cerebral Palsy - diagnosis; Cerebral Palsy - physiopathology; Child; Children; Classification; Comparative Analysis; Data Analysis; Disability Evaluation; Electromyography; Energy; Evaluators; Feedback (Response); Female; Females; Functional Laterality; Human Body; Humans; Interrater Reliability; Male; Males; Measurement; Motion; Motor Reactions; Motor Skills - physiology; Muscle Spasticity - complications; Muscle Spasticity - diagnosis; Muscle Spasticity - physiopathology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Neurological Impairments; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Psychomotor Skills; Quadriplegia - complications; Quadriplegia - diagnosis; Quadriplegia - physiopathology; Reflex - physiology; Reproducibility of Results; Task Performance and Analysis
• ISSN: 0012-1622; 1469-8749
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2009.03602.x

Aim  To evaluate spasticity under controlled velocities and torques in children with cerebral palsy (CP) using a manual spasticity evaluator. Method  The study involved 10 children with spastic CP (six males, four females; mean age 10y 1mo, SD 2y 9mo, range 7–16y; one with quadriplegia, six with right hemiplegia, three with left hemiplegia; Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I [n=2], II [n=3], III [n=2], IV [n=2], and V [n=1]; Manual Ability Classification System levels II [n=5], III [n=4], and V [n=1]) and 10 typically developing participants (four males, six females; mean age 10y 3mo, SD 2y 7mo, range 7–15y). Spasticity and catch angle were evaluated using joint position, resistance torque, and torque rate at velocities of 90°, 180°, and 270° per second, controlled using real‐time audio‐visual feedback. Biomechanically, elbow range of motion (ROM), stiffness, and energy loss were determined during slow movement (30°/s) and under controlled terminal torque. Results  Compared with typically developing children, children with CP showed higher reflex‐mediated torque (p