O73: Does real-time feedback on ankle power alter dynamic motor control in children with cerebral palsy?

Abstract

A common gait limitation in cerebral palsy (CP) is a reduced ability to generate power at the ankle during push off. This may be due a number of factors, such as muscle weakness or disrupted neuromuscular control. It has been shown that with the use real-time feedback, children with CP can improve key gait parameters such as knee and hip extension [1]. However, it is not known if children can improve ankle power, or, how they would achieve this change at the neuromuscular level. The use of synergy analysis to describe dynamic motor control (DMC) in CP is growing and has been shown to be predictive of treatment outcomes [2].