Serial ankle casts for patients with idiopathic toe walking: effects on functional gait parameters.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to investigate the functional effects on gait parameters of serial ankle casts for patients with idiopathic toe walking (ITW), in comparison with an unremarkable control group.

Methods

A prospective trial with a pre-test-post-test control group design included ten patients with ITW and ten healthy matched children. Children with ITW underwent serial casting to stretch the plantar flexors, with two 14-day periods with walking plaster casts set at the maximum available ankle dorsiflexion. Both groups were assessed clinically and using a functional gait analysis before and after serial casting, as well as at a six-month follow-up visit.

Results

The normalized plantar heel force increased from 5% pre-interventionally to 79% at the

SUBMITTER: Thielemann F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6442509 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature