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Effects of dual task on gait velocity and cadence in cerebral palsied children with spastic hemiparesis or diparesis

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Abstract

Gait is generally considered an automated process with little or no cognitive input. In most individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP), walking restrictions may accompany during childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of dual task on Gait Velocity (GV) and Cadence (C) in Cerebral Palsied Children with Spastic Hemiparesis or Diparesis (CPCSHD). Fourteen boys, seven girls’ spastic hemiparesis children (mean age: 13.33 ± 3.79 years) and twelve girls, nine boys’ diparesis children (mean age: 14.44 ± 3.24 years) were included in the study. Forty-two CPCSHD having level 1 or 2 according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) were included in this comparative study. GV was calculated using a chronometer for a 10-m walk on the ground with shoes. Cadence was calculated accounting the number of steps during 1-min walk. Both GV and C tests were performed by each participant with single task first. After the single task, all were asked to perform the dual task carrying a plastic water-filled bottle. There were no significant differences between the hemiparesis and diparesis in terms of demographics data. When children with hemiparesis and diparesis compare each other, no significant differences were found in terms of all the outcome parameters. The results obtained from this study indicate that walking speed and cadence decrease during a dual motor task in CPCSHD (p > 0.05). When hemiparesis and diparesis groups were compared, no difference was found between the groups.

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Abbreviations

GV:

Gait velocity

C:

Cadence

CPCSHD:

Cerebral palsied children with spastic hemiparesis or diparesis

GMFCS:

Gross motor function classification system

CP:

Cerebral palsy

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Hande Senol for her help in statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Salih Dede Special Education and Rehabilitation Center, Denizli, Turkey

    Alper Kocak

  2. Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science, Pamukkale University, 20160, Denizli, Turkey

    Alper Kocak & F. Yarar

  3. Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science, Avrasya University, Trabzon, Turkey

    U. Cavlak

Authors
  1. Alper Kocak
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  2. F. Yarar
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  3. U. Cavlak
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Contributions

AK collected and integrated the data. FY and UC conceived and designed the study. AK, FY,UC analyzed the data, wrote and reviewed the paper. All authors approved the final version of this paper for publication.

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Correspondence to Alper Kocak.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the University of Pamukkale Ethics Committee (60116787–020/2483).

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Kocak, A., Yarar, F. & Cavlak, U. Effects of dual task on gait velocity and cadence in cerebral palsied children with spastic hemiparesis or diparesis. Acta Neurol Belg 121, 175–179 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-020-01380-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-020-01380-9

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