Gait stability in ambulant children with cerebral palsy during dual tasks

Sophie Wist; Lena Carcreff; Sjoerd M Bruijn; Gilles Allali; Christopher J Newman; Joel Fluss; Stéphane Armand

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0270145

Gait stability in ambulant children with cerebral palsy during dual tasks

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 22;17(6):e0270145. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270145. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Sophie Wist^{1

2}, Lena Carcreff², Sjoerd M Bruijn³, Gilles Allali^{4

5}, Christopher J Newman⁶, Joel Fluss⁷, Stéphane Armand²

Affiliations

¹ Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, ZHAW, Institut für Physiotherapie, Winterthur, Switzerland.
² Kinesiology Laboratory, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
³ Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Neurology, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁵ Leenaards Memory Center, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁶ Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁷ Pediatric Neurology Unit, Children's Hospital, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to measure the effect of dual tasks on gait stability in ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP) compared to typically developing (TD) children.

Methods: The children of the CP (n = 20) and TD groups (n = 20) walked first without a dual task, then while counting forward and finally while alternatively naming fruits and animals (DTf/a). They then completed the same cognitive exercises while sitting comfortably. We calculated the distance between the foot placement estimator (FPE) and the real foot placement in the anterior direction (DFPEAP) and in the mediolateral direction (DFPEML) as a measure of gait stability, in a gait laboratory using an optoelectronic system. Cognitive scores were computed. Comparisons within and between groups were analysed with linear mixed models.

Results: The dual task had a significant effect on the CP group in DFPEAP and DFPEML. The CP group was more affected than the TD group during dual task in the DFPEML. Children in both groups showed significant changes in gait stability during dual tasks.

Interpretation: The impact of dual task on gait stability is possibly due to the sharing of attention between gait and the cognitive task. All children favoured a 'posture second' strategy during the dual task of alternatively naming animals and fruits. Children with CP increased their mediolateral stability during dual task.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cerebral Palsy*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Gait
Gait Disorders, Neurologic*
Humans
Walking

Grants and funding

This work was supported by La Fondation Paralysie Cerebrale (Paris, France,https://www.fondationparalysiecerebrale.org/), no grant number is available. Sjoerd M.Bruijn was funded by a VIDI grant (016.Vidi.178.014) from the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, https://www.nwo.nl/en). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.