Fifteen children who were diagnosed with idiopathic toe walking that cannot be corrected by nonoperative treatment were assessed by clinical examination and computer-based gait analysis preoperatively and approximately 1 year after Achilles tendon lengthening. Passive dorsiflexion improved from a mean plantarflexion contracture of 8 degrees to dorsiflexion of 12 degrees after surgery. Ankle kinematics normalized, with mean ankle dorsiflexion in stance improving from -8 to 12 degrees and maximum swing phase dorsiflexion improving from -20 to 2 degrees. Peak ankle power generation increased from 2.05 to 2.37 W/kg but did not reach values of population norms. No patient demonstrated clinically relevant triceps surae weakness or a calcaneal gait pattern. Seven patients had a stance phase knee hyperextension preoperatively, and 6 of these corrected after surgery. Achilles tendon lengthening improves ankle kinematics without compromising triceps surae strength; however, plantarflexion power does not reach normal levels at 1 year after surgery.

Level II.

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Purpose Children with spastic diplegic and hemiplegic cerebral palsy frequently ambulate with flexed knee gait. There has been concern that hamstring lengthening used to treat this problem may weaken hip extension. This study evaluates the primary outcome of hamstring transfer plus lengthening in comparison with traditional hamstring lengthening in treating flexed knee gait in ambulatory patients with cerebral palsy. Methods A total of 47 children (67 lower limbs) ranging in age from 5 to 17 years old were included in this study. All subjects underwent a variety of additional surgeries at the time of the hamstring surgery as part of a multilevel treatment plan. All patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups, the hamstring lengthening alone group (HSL) and the hamstring transfer plus lengthening group (HST). Full gait analysis studies were done for all subjects pre-operatively and 1 year post-operatively. Results There were 25 patients (35 limbs) in the HSL group and 22 patients (32 limbs) in the HST group. There was no significant difference in age, gender, or the time from surgery to post-operative gait analysis between groups. On physical examination, both HSL and HST groups showed improvement in passive knee extension, popliteal angle, and straight leg raise. Maximum knee extension in stance phase was improved in both groups. The maximum hip extension in late stance phase was significantly improved only in the HST group. The peak hip extension power in stance phase showed significant improvement only in the HST group and a significant decrease for the HSL group. Conclusions The findings of this study demonstrated that both the HSL and HST procedures resulted in similar amounts of improvement in passive range of motion of the knee, as well in knee extension in stance during gait at 1 year post-operatively. However, with the HST procedure, there was better preservation of hip extension power and improved hip extension in stance. The HST procedure should be considered when hamstring surgery is performed.

BackgroundOveractivity or contractures of the hamstring muscles in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP) can lead to either a jump gait (knee flexion associated with ankle plantar flexion) or a crouch gait (knee flexion associated with ankle dorsiflexion). Hamstring lengthening is performed to decrease stance knee flexion. However, this procedure carries the potential risk of weakening hip extension power as well as recurrence over time; therefore, surgeons have adopted a modified procedure wherein the semitendinosus and gracilis are transferred above the knee joint, along with lengthening of the semimembranosus and biceps femoris.PurposeThe purpose of our study is to evaluate the differences between hamstring lengthening alone (HSL group) and hamstring lengthening plus transfer (HST group) in the treatment of flexed knee gait in ambulatory children with CP. We hypothesized that recurrence of increased knee flexion in the stance phase will be less in the HST group at long-term follow-up, and hip extensor power will be better preserved.MethodsFifty children with CP who underwent hamstring surgery for flexed knee gait were retrospectively reviewed. All subjects underwent a pre-operative gait study, a follow-up post-operative gait study, and a long-term gait study. The subjects were divided into two groups; HSL group (18 subjects) or HST group (32 subjects). The mean age at surgery was 9.9 ± 3.3 years. The mean follow-up time was 4.4 ± 0.9 (2.7–6.3) years.ResultsOn physical examination, both groups showed improvement in straight leg raise, knee extension, popliteal angle, and maximum knee extension in stance at the first post-op study, and maintained this improvement at the long-term follow-up, with the exception of straight leg raise, which slightly worsened in both groups at the final follow-up. Both groups improved maximum knee extension in stance at the initial follow-up, and maintained this at the long-term follow-up. Only the HST group showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the peak hip extension power in stance at the first post-op study, and this increased further at the final follow-up. In the HSL group, there was an initial slight decrease in the hip extension power, which subsequently increased to pre-operative values at the long-term study. Only the HST group showed increase of the average anterior pelvic tilt at the long-term follow-up study, although this was small in magnitude. There were two subjects who developed knee recurvatum at the post-op study, and both were in the HST group.ConclusionsThere is no clear benefit in regards to recurrence when comparing HST to HSL in the long term. In both HSL and HST, there was reduction of stance phase knee flexion in the long term, with no clear advantage in either group. Longer follow-up is needed for additional recurrence information. There was greater improvement of hip extension power in the HST group, which may justify the additional operative time of the transfer.SignificanceThis study helps pediatric orthopedic surgeons choose between two d...