Correlation between Pediatric Balance Scale and Gait Parameter in Children with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

The Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) was balance measurement equipment for school-age children with mild to moderate motor impairments. The aims of this study are to examine the correlation between PBS and spatiotemporal gait parameter and to identify the walking function with cerebral palsy through balance scale. The PBS consists of 14 items such as sitting of standing, standing to sitting, transfers, standing unsupported, standing on one foot, turning 360 degrees, turing to look behind, etc., and the spatiotemporal parameters include walking speed, stride length, step length, step width, cadence, double-limb support. All subjects were independently ambulatory children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, and they were assessed on PBS and spatiotemporal gait parameters by an experienced pediatric physical therapist. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between PBS and spatiotemporal gait parameters, and the level of significance was set at α = 0.05. Total score of PBS(r=.49∼.58), standing to sitting(r=.48∼.60), turning to look behind(r=.47∼.53), and pick up object(r=.52∼.69) were positively correlated with walking speed, stride length, step length, and cadence. Most items of the PBS were negatively correlated with double-limb support(r=-.48∼-.92). These findings suggest that the pediatric balance scale can be applied to estimate gait function level for children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Influence of Whole Body Vibration in balance and gait of patient with spastic cerebral palsy: A pilot study

“…7) Balancing while changing posture affects gait speed, step length, cadence. 8) For patients with central nervous system injuries, Whole Body Vibration Training(WBVT) has the effect of improving posture control ability through the input of proprioceptive sensory stimuli, allowing stable weight movement from sitting and standing while performing independent daily activities, and improving functional mobility. Training method 9) In WBVT, vibration stimulus stimulates Ia-afferent motoneuron in muscle spindles to activate α-motor neuron and increases motor unit firing rate, inducing strong muscular contraction by activating agonist and synergist.…”