Cerebral Palsy Gait

Cerebral palsy is a disorder that would affect the motor skills of the person or child. Depending on which type of cerebral palsy the person affected will have an increased muscle tone, decreased muscle tone and a fluctuating muscle tone. Cerebral palsy gait is caused by involuntary movements, stiff postures, no sense of balance and no sense of depth. The different types of cerebral palsy that may affect the gait of the person affected are spastic cerebral palsy, athetoid cerebral palsy and ataxic cerebral palsy, in most cases there would be more than one type of this disorder that would affect the person.

Cerebral Palsy Gait

Ideally, it would be better if there is early diagnosis so that therapy can start even before the first 6 months after being born. It has been observed that those with this disorder that have been treated early would have better muscle control, their motor functions and skills are not as limited as those that did not undergo the right treatment.  These treatments would also help in having better control over some easy tasks like, feeding, using the toilet properly and knowing how to dress themselves.

Cerebral palsy gait can be caused by joint, bone and even muscle problems. The problems are because of spasticity in the rectus muscle causing stiffness in the knees, walking may be hampered when the legs are rotating in external motion combined with flat feet, crouching is due to hamstring muscles which are contracting. This would also happen when a disorder called equinovarus would occur; equinovarus is when the foot is turned downwards and inwards due to the tibialis muscle experiencing spasticity. This treatment and therapy would give them a bit more independence that cannot be found in people with this motor disorder.

Known treatments for cerebral palsy gait are the use of braces or walking aids as well as surgery and undergoing regular physical therapy. The ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) is a brace that helps correct heel to toe gait pattern in cerebral palsy patients. This type of braces can be fitted easily in shoes and any footwear. Another type of walking aid is the WalkAide System which helps the cerebral palsy patients by sending electrical impulses to the peroneal nerve to help lift the foot so that the person can walk properly without dragging the foot.

Walking aids and braces are helpful but their use would be limited especially if the problem is rotating motion of the feet. In these cases surgeries may be required. After surgery the patient would have to go some rehabilitation exercise to optimize the result of the surgical procedure and to regain proper balance and gait when walking. Gait would refer to how a person would walk, for one to have proper gait, the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system should be working properly. The nervous system and musculoskeletal system of a person with cerebral palsy disorder is not working properly due to the damage to the brain there would be no sense of balance and depth which would result to problems when walking.