The evaluation of trunk control can provide valuable information for functional abilities of children with spastic CP.

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This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of trunk control in children with ataxic cerebral palsy (CP). We included 15 children with ataxic CP with a mean age of 9.46 years ( SD = 1.08 years, 5–17 years) and 15 healthy children with a mean age of 9.06 years ( SD = 0.84 years, 5–13 years). While the small sample size and large age range used here were not ideal for generalizability, they were made necessary by the rarity of this clinical sample. We used the Gross Motor Function Classification System Expanded and Revised (GMFCS-E&R) to classify the children’s functional levels, and we tested trunk control with the Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS). We then used the Gross Motor Function Measurement-88 (GMFM-88) to assess their gross motor functions. We compared the total and subscale scores of the TCMS in healthy children and children with ataxic CP by using the Mann–Whitney U Test. We also analyzed differences between TCMS scores according to the children’s GMFCS levels with the Mann–Whitney U Test and also compared TCMS scores with the GMFM-88 by means of Spearman correlation analysis. Spearman correlation analysis was used to compare the scores of the TCMS with the GMFM-88. Our results showed that healthy children showed significantly higher scores than children with ataxic CP in total and subscale scores of TCMS ( p < .05).There was no significant difference between the TCMS scores in children of different GMFCS levels, but the GMFM-88B subscale was significantly correlated with the static sitting balance ( rho = .568, p < .05) and dynamic sitting balance ( rho = .547, p < .05) TCMS subscales and with the TCMS total score ( rho = .590, p < .05). We concluded that trunk control, especially its dynamic aspects, was impaired in children with ataxic CP.

The first aim of the study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of functional balance tests in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and the second aim was to examine the relation between balance tests and motor functions in children with DMD. Timed up and go test (TUG) and functional reach test (FRT) were used for the evaluation of balance. Hammersmith motor ability scale (HMAS) was used to assess motor functions. Test-retest reliability was determined by using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the relation between balance tests and HMAS. Both TUG and FRT had good test-retest reliability. ICC score for TUG was 0.86 (95%, CI=0.69 to 0.94) and 0.96 (95%, CI=0.92 to 0.98) for FRT. A significant negative correlation was found between TUG and HMAS with a correlation coefficient of r ho = -0.69, p<0.01. A significant positive correlation was found between FRT and HMAS with a correlation coefficient of r ho = 0.47, p<0.05. Our results provide evidence that, FRT and TUG are reliable measures and may be used to monitor change over time, particularly following interventions that aim to improve motor functions in children with DMD.

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