The Changes of Foot Pressure Distribution in Spastic Cerebral Palsy with Equinus Deformity following Corrective Surgery

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the changes of pressure distribution on the foot after orthopaedic surgery for equinus deformity in spastic cerebral palsy using F-scan system. METHOD: Twenty-one children with spastic cerebral palsy were participated in this study. They had equinus deformity on foot and received soft tissue surgery. Pressure distribution on foot was measured before and after operation using F-scan system (Tekscan Inc., USA). Paired t-test was used in comparison of preoperative and postoperative measurements for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Total contact area, contact length, midfoot and hindfoot contact width were significantly increased after operation. Relative impulses of medial and lateral forefoot were significantly decreased and relative impulse of hindfoot significantly increased after operation (p<0.05). Anteroposterior distance of center of pressure (COP) and velocity of COP were significantly increased and mediolateral distance and slope of COP were significantly decreased after operation (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that patterns of foot pressure distribution during walking were significantly improved after operation. Therefore, these findings suggested that F- scan system might be useful for surgical outcome measurement for foot deformities in the children with spastic cerebral palsy.