Gait Training for Walking Acquisition in a Child with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: A Case Report.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of task-specific walking training for a child with hereditary spastic paraplegia using orthoses and assistive mobility aids.
Results Summary
The child improved walking ability, transitioning from knee-ankle-foot orthoses and a posterior walker to ankle-foot orthoses and crutches, with enhanced scores on functional mobility and motor measures.
Population
A 4-year-8-month-old boy with hereditary spastic paraplegia, classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System level IV.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Approximately 2 years and 3 months (from 4 years 8 months to 6 years 11 months)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
task-specific walking training | increase | the child's abilities | a child with hereditary spastic paraplegia | - | improving | #1 |
walking training using knee-ankle-foot orthoses and a posterior walker | increase | the child's abilities | a 4-year-8-month-old boy with hereditary spastic paraplegia | - | improving | #2 |
walking training | increase | scores on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure | the child | - | improved | #3 |
walking training | increase | scores on the Gross Motor Function Measure-66 | the child | - | improved | #4 |
walking training | increase | scores on the Functional Mobility Scale | the child | - | improved | #5 |
PURPOSE: We report the effectiveness of task-specific walking training for a child with hereditary spastic paraplegia using various orthoses, assistive mobility aids, and tasks. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: A 4-year-8-month-old boy, classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System level IV, had selective dorsal rhizotomy and single-event multilevel surgery. The child began walking training using knee-ankle-foot orthoses and a posterior walker, setting the tasks to be "just right" for improving the child's abilities. CONCLUSION: At 6 years and 11 months of age, the child walked using bilateral ankle-foot orthoses and crutches at school, and scores improved on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, Gross Motor Function Measure-66, and Functional Mobility Scale.Recommendations for Clinical Practice: Physical therapists need to carefully select the factors involved in walking training based on an assessment and the difficulty level of each child in order to optimize improvements.