Research Projects

Children with cerebral palsy may have postural instability, altered muscle tone, and restricted voluntary movement, and may require assistive devices such as walkers to carry out daily routines. There is no current methodology to aid clinicians in determining the best walker for a patient. Our study analyzes differences between anterior and posterior walkers.

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Control of standing posture is a challenging task for children with cerebral palsy. We developed a bi-planar model of postural stability to investigate the neurological factors affecting balance deficits in children with diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). The model is based on an inverted pendulum and describes sway in both the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) planes. This model may help understanding the underlying factors affecting instability and may ultimately lead to better treatments.

Upper extremity motion analysis applied to children with spina bifida is used to further the understanding of crutch-assisted gait by physicians, engineers and physical therapists. This information may be used to prevent injury in long-term crutch users and improve their quality of life.