Deliberately light interpersonal contact affects the control of head stability during walking in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

Schulleri, Katrin Hanna, Burfeind, Frauke, Höß-Zenker, Beate, Feketené Szabó, Éva, Herzig, Nadine, Ledebt, Annick and Johannsen, Leif ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2441-3163 (2017) Deliberately light interpersonal contact affects the control of head stability during walking in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 98 (9). pp. 1828-1835. ISSN 0003-9993

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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the potential of deliberately light interpersonal touch (IPT) for reducing excessive head and trunk sway during self-paced walking in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). Design: Quasi-experimental, proof-of-concept study with between-groups comparison. Setting: Ambulant care facility, community center. Participants: 26 individuals with CP (spastic and ataxic; GMFCS I-III; mean=9.8y; f=11, m=15) and in 39 typically developed (TD) children and adolescents (mean=10.0y; f=23, m=16). Interventions: IPT applied by a therapist to locations at the back and the head. Main Outcome Measures: As primary outcomes head and trunk sway during self-paced walking were assessed by inertial measurement units. Secondary outcomes were average step length and gait speed. Results: CP group: apex and occiput IPT reduced head velocity sway compared to thoracic IPT (both p=0.04) irrespective of individuals’ specific clinical symptoms. TD group: all testing conditions reduced head velocity sway compared to walking alone (all p≤0.03) as well as in apex and occiput IPT compared to paired walking (both p≤0.02). Conclusions: Deliberately light IPT at the apex of the head alters control of head sway in children and adolescents with CP. The effect of IPT varies as a function of contact location and acts differently in TD individuals.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	cerebral palsy,locomotion,interpersonal touch,body sway
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Health Sciences
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	04 Feb 2017 03:26
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2024 12:33
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/62293
DOI:	10.1016/j.apmr.2017.01.026

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