In spastic cerebral palsy, there are interrelated neuromuscular deficits that can affect ankle joint control, including impaired selective voluntary motor control, muscle weakness, spasticity, and shortened muscle-tendon units. As a result, it is important to assess ankle joint control in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Clinicians need valid, reliable, and practical methods to assess ankle joint control. The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Foot-taping Test in children with spastic cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term that refers to a permanent group of movement, posture, and/or motor function disorders caused by a non-progressive lesion or abnormality in the developing immature brain. In spastic cerebral palsy, there are interrelated neuromuscular deficits that can affect ankle joint control, impaired selective voluntary motor control, muscle weakness, spasticity, and shortened muscle-tendon units. As a result, it is important to assess ankle joint control in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Clinicians need valid, reliable, and practical methods to assess ankle joint control. The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Foot-taping Test in children with spastic cerebral palsy. This study will conduct Department of Orthopedic Prosthesis-Orthosis at Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Atatürk Health Services Vocational School. Children aged 6-18 with spastic cerebral palsy (diparetic and hemiparetic) from two different special education institutions in the Aegean Region will be included in the study.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
32
Department of Orthopedic Prosthesis-Orthosis, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Atatürk Health Services Vocational School
Afyonkarahisar, Turkey (Türkiye)
Foot-Taping Test
For this test, the participant will be asked to strike the floor as quickly as possible for 10 seconds with each bare foot. The number of times the participant taps their foot on the ground within 10 seconds is recorded. The higher the number of times the participant taps their foot, the better their ankle control.
Time frame: Two assessors will administer the SAVT to the participants on the first day, two hours apart (first test). The duration of the test is 5 minutes. The retest will be administered 7-10 days after the first test.
Active Ankle Range of Motion
The participant will be placed supine, and the head of the fibula, lateral malleolus, head of the fifth metatarsal, and base of the fifth metatarsal will be marked. A digital camera will be used to photograph the range of motion of active dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. ImageJ, a software, will be used to measure the ROMs from the images.
Time frame: Two assessors will administer the SAVT to the participants on the first day, two hours apart (first test). The duration of the test is 10 minutes.
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