Abstract

Background. The spontaneous adjustment of abnormal muscle tone in CP children leads to abnormal postural and motor patterns development. The aim of this work was to recognize and define some of compensatory postural patterns in CP children. Material and methods. The group of 18 children with hemiplegia, aged 5-14, were taken into the examination. The objective measurement of they postural patterns while standing, kneeling (of one and both legs) and sitting was done with a help of photogrammetry. In the same time using baroresistive platform a force distribution on the support base were measured. Results. In case of standing position two kinds of postural patterns were observed — the progravitational pattern and the anti-gravitational pattern. In every children with progravitional pattern lateral spine curvature were observed. Their values were significantly higher than similar in antigravitational pattern. In standing on one leg and half kneeing the arrangement of postural parameters were the same. In sitting in children with progravitional type mutual arrangement of shoulders and pelvis line was changed to parallel and in children with antygravitional type overloaded side changed to opposite. Conclusions. 1. The postural patterns through hemiparetic children are habitual and have differentiated character according to character of paresis. 2. Development of postural patterns is predictable, it is possible to steer the compensation during the treatment.

Key words:

cerebral palsy, compensatory antigravity mechanisms, postural patterns