The Effects of Electrical Stimulation Gait Training on Walking and Posture for Children With Cerebral Palsy

This proposal is designed to achieve the following specific aims and will test the associated hypotheses: AIM 1: To compare walking ability, standing posture, gait initiation and functional standing and stepping of twenty children with typical development to that of twenty children with spastic diplegia or hemiplegia, CP. Hypotheses * Children with CP will demonstrate impaired coordination as compared to children of typical development. In addition, children with CP will demonstrate inappropriate foot contact area, decreased velocity and step length as compared to children of typical development. * Children with CP will demonstrate impaired postural control as compared to children of typical development. * Children with CP will demonstrate an impaired gait initiation motor program as compared to children with typical development. * Children with CP will take more time to complete the timed up and go test and demonstrate decreased reaching distances in the functional reach test as compared to children of typical development. AIM 2: Using a single-blinded, randomized, controlled study design, to assess the ability of a 12-week at-home electrical stimulation gait training program to improve walking ability, standing posture, gait initiation, functional standing and stepping, and satisfaction with walking ability for a group of 10 children with spastic diplegia or hemiplegia CP as compared to a group of 10 children with spastic diplegia or hemiplegia CP who undergo a 12-week at-home gait training program without electrical stimulation. Hypotheses * The ES gait training group will demonstrate improved joint coordination as compared to the group undergoing a gait training program without ES. The ES gait training group will demonstrate improved foot contact area, increased self-selected walking velocity and greater step length as compared to the group undergoing a gait training program without ES. * The ES gait training group will demonstrate improved postural control as compared to the group undergoing a gait training program without ES. * The ES gait training group will demonstrate improved gait initiation as compared to the gait training group without ES. * The ES gait training group will demonstrate decreased times on the Timed Up and Go and an increase in functional reach as compared to the group undergoing a gait training program without ES. * The ES gait training group will demonstrate greater satisfaction and self-perceived performance on everyday tasks related to walking function and posture as measured by the COPM compared to the group that undergoes a gait training program without ES.