Association of gross motor function and activities of daily living with muscle mass of the trunk and lower extremity muscles, range of motion, and spasticity in children and adults with cerebral palsy

ABSTRACT

Purpose

We examined the association of gross motor function and activities of daily living (ADL) with muscle mass of the trunk and lower extremity muscles in children and adults with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods

The subjects were 32 children and adults with CP. Muscle thickness of the trunk and lower extremity muscles was measured using an ultrasound imaging device.

Results

Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the thoracic erector spinae muscle thickness was a significant and independent factor of gross motor function. Stepwise regression analysis also showed that the thickness of the rectus abdominis and vastus lateralis muscles were significant and independent factors of ADL.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that declined gross motor function is associated with decreased thoracic erector spinae muscle mass in children and adults with CP. The results also indicate that declined ADL is associated with decreased muscle mass of the rectus abdominis and vastus lateralis muscles.

KEYWORDS:

• Cerebral palsy
• gross motor function
• activities of daily living
• trunk muscles
• lower extremity muscles
• muscle thickness

Acknowledgments

The present study was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 16H07302. The authors wish to thank all of the individuals who participated in the present study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.