The relation between standing balance and walking function in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

To establish and compare the relationship between standing balance and walking performance, eight children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP) and 16 non-disabled, age- and sex-matched children were studied. The results showed that the children with CP had worse static balance stability in various sensory environments and dynamic balance (rhythmic shifting ability) than the non-disabled children. Moreover, the children with CP walked at a slower speed but at a greater physiological cost than the non-disabled children. In the children with CP, dynamic balance significantly correlated with walking function. It is suggested that rhythmic weight-shift training should be encouraged to improve the walking performance of children with CP.