ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim was to identify the prevalence of hip contractures and their association with gross motor function and pain in the lower extremities among Danish children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on data collected during regular clinical examinations in 2018-2019 and registered in the National Danish Clinical Quality Database of children with CP. The study population was 688 children (59% boys) aged five to 12 years across all Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels. Any associations between hip contracture and gross motor function and pain were investigated with logistic regression analysis and presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: The prevalence of hip contracture was 22% across all five GMFCS levels, and the incidence varied across the five Danish regions. The odds ratios for hip contracture were significantly higher at GMFCS level IV (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.10-3.62) and V (OR 5.49, 95% CI 3.33-9.07) compared with level I. Hip contractures were not significantly associated with pain in the lower extremities (OR 1.43, 95% CI 0.95-2.15). CONCLUSION: Hip contractures were frequent and associated with low gross motor function, but not lower extremity pain, in children with CP.
