Augmenting Ankle Plantarflexor Function in Cerebral Palsy

Description

The first specific aim is to quantify improvement in ankle muscle function and functional mobility following targeted ankle resistance gait training in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). The primary hypothesis for the first aim is that targeted ankle resistance training will produce larger improvements in lower-extremity motor control, gait mechanics, and clinical measures of mobility assessed four- and twelve-weeks post intervention compared to standard physical therapy and standard gait training. The second specific aim is to determine the efficacy of adaptive ankle assistance to improve capacity and performance during sustained, high-intensity, and challenging tasks in ambulatory children with CP. The primary hypothesis for the second aim is that adaptive ankle assistance will result in significantly greater capacity and performance during the six-minute-walk-test and graded treadmill and stair stepping protocols compared to walking with ankle foot orthoses and walking with just shoes.

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

The first specific aim is to quantify improvement in ankle muscle function and functional mobility following targeted ankle resistance gait training in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). The primary hypothesis for the first aim is that targeted ankle resistance training will produce larger improvements in lower-extremity motor control, gait mechanics, and clinical measures of mobility assessed four- and twelve-weeks post intervention compared to standard physical therapy and standard gait training. The second specific aim is to determine the efficacy of adaptive ankle assistance to improve capacity and performance during sustained, high-intensity, and challenging tasks in ambulatory children with CP. The primary hypothesis for the second aim is that adaptive ankle assistance will result in significantly greater capacity and performance during the six-minute-walk-test and graded treadmill and stair stepping protocols compared to walking with ankle foot orthoses and walking with just shoes.

Augmenting Ankle Plantarflexor Function and Walking Capacity in Children With Cerebral Palsy

Augmenting Ankle Plantarflexor Function in Cerebral Palsy

Condition
Cerebral Palsy
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Minneapolis

Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55101

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Ages between 8 and 21 years old, inclusive. Diagnosis of CP and a pathological gait pattern caused by ankle dysfunction.
  • * Able to understand and follow simple directions (based on parent report, if needed) and walk at least 30 feet with or without a walking aid (Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) Level I-III).
  • * At least 20° of passive plantar-flexion range of motion.
  • * Concurrent treatment other than those assigned during the study.
  • * A condition other than CP that would affect safe participation.
  • * Surgical intervention within 6 months of participation.

Ages Eligible for Study

8 Years to 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Northern Arizona University,

Zach F Lerner, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Northern Arizona University

Study Record Dates

2026-09-25