Effects of Wedged Shoes and Ankle-Foot Orthoses on Standing Balance and Knee Extension in Children with Cerebral Palsy Who Crouch.

摘要

PURPOSE: Effects of wedged shoes with solid ankle-foot orthoses (WAFOs) on standing balance (SB) were evaluated, as well as effects of AFOs alone on knee extension (KE) in children with cerebral palsy who crouch. METHODS: Using a repeated-measures design, 11 children (four to 13 years old) were tested four times at two-week intervals. AFO intervention comprised the first four weeks and WAFO intervention the second four weeks. SB and KE were measured during three conditions at each visit: no orthoses (NO), AFO, and WAFO. Test-retest reliability and AFO effects on KE were examined after the first month. WAFO effects on SB were examined after the second month. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficients for KE were 0.89 (NO), 0.83 (AFO), and 0.81 (WAFO), and for SB, they were 0.98 (NO), 0.98 (AFO), and 0.97 (WAFO). Paired t tests for KE after AFO intervention were not significant. Restricted maximum likelihood estimations for SB were not significant. A post hoc power analysis of 68% suggested a type II error. CONCLUSION: Further study is warranted to establish efficacy.