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NIH PubMed Abstract - Testing range of motion in cerebral palsy. Objective of study was to To propose a standardized test of joint range of motion in paediatric patients with cerebral palsy, based on the opinion of a cerebral palsy specialist group (physicians, physiotherapists and surgeons) and literature review. Study concluded that a standardized testing of lower-limb-joint range of motion will allow for better communication between clinicians and will facilitate the development of a database. Care should be taken in the interpretation of the joint range-of-motion test results and realized only after reliability analysis of the test, especially interobserver reliability. A further step would be to develop an outpatient booklet for cerebral palsy that shows growth and weight curves, joint range-of-motion curves and curves of the principal radiographic measurements during growth.

NIH PubMed Abstract of Belgium study to assess the intra- and interobserver reliability and reproducibility of goniometry and visual estimation of ankle joint range of motion measurements in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Statistical analysis showed a high reliability for intra- and interobserver measurements (r>0.75), between visual estimation and goniometry (correlation coefficient, r>0.967; concordance coefficient, r>0.957). Both visual estimation and goniometry ankle range-of-motion measurements are reliable and reproducible in spastic cerebral palsy children if a strict but simple protocol is applied.

Study to develop a comprehensive spasticity management program which will then be developed for the individual. Clinical and outcome assessments at baseline and at follow-up will include measures of range of motion, global spasticity according to a modified Ashworth scale, and the time and number of staff required for the task. In addition, video will be obtained of caregivers performing each participant's care area tasks at baseline and follow-up to allow an independent external reviewer to judge task difficulty

Research team study to asses ways to measure the stiffness in the joints of hypertonic arms.