Development of contractures in spastic forms of cerebral palsy: Pathogenesis and prevention

The origin of contractures in spastic forms of cerebral palsy (CP) is unclear. Tomorrow the early appearance and persistence of spasticity are not qualified as the main reason of growths disturbances, musculo-skeletal system deformations and secondary orthopedic complications. The latest investigations have shown prominent changes in the spastic muscles on the different structural levels and stages of muscle development. This study describes the histological, morphological, and biomechanical changes in the spastic muscles that play a pathophysiological role in the formation of CP contractions. The authors discuss the changes in the muscle fiber size, differentiation and elastic properties, degrees of the lengthening resistance in the bundles of muscle fibers, extracellular matrix proliferation, structural and mechanical changes, disturbances in gene expression and regulation in the tendons and muscle tissue, changes in the length and number of sarcomers, as well as the length and cross-section of the whole muscle. Therefore, the movement limitations and contractions in CP do not depend on one universal mechanism. It is a combination of different structural changes in the muscles and the failure of the central movement and postural control.