Functionality level and its relation to postural control during sitting-to-stand movement in children with cerebral palsy.
Even kids with mild CP show measurable balance loss when standing up, and the shakier they are, the lower their everyday mobility scores.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Leticia and her team watched the kids with mild-to-moderate cerebral palsy (GMFCS levels I–II) stand up from a chair. They used force plates and motion cameras to time each sit-to-stand and to see how much the kids swayed. Each child also took the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory so the researchers could link lab balance scores to real-life mobility.
A same-size group of typically developing kids matched for age and sex did the same tests for comparison.
What they found
The CP group stood up more slowly and swayed almost twice as far forward while doing it. Their sway size lined up almost perfectly with their everyday mobility scores: the shakier the stand, the lower the PEDI self-care and mobility ratings. Even children who walk independently (level I) showed clear postural-control gaps next to peers.
How this fits with other research
Tseng et al. (2011) had already shown that motor severity is the strongest predictor of daily function in CP. Leticia’s lab data now give that claim a concrete marker: shaky sit-to-stand sway is one quick window into that same severity.
Barton et al. (2019) found that children with developmental coordination disorder are less active and weaker than peers. Leticia’s CP findings echo that negative direction—both groups show motor deficits that can be spotted early with simple movement tests.
Engel-Yeger (2020) tracked the story into adulthood and showed that poor motor coordination still drags down quality of life years later. Together the three papers sketch a life-span picture: early postural gaps (Leticia) become wider activity gaps (E et al.) and later life-quality gaps (Batya).
Why it matters
You can add a 30-second sit-to-stand sway check to any CP re-assessment. No extra gear—just watch how far the child’s head or trunk moves forward and time the rise. If sway is large or time is slow, flag balance training and strengthen core and hip muscles before the next mobility goal. The same quick test also gives you a number to share with parents that links lab data to daily skills.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In this study we studied functional performance and functional balance in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically developing (TD) children. The relationship between these components and postural control during sit-to-stand movement (STS) was also investigated. Ten children with CP (GMFCS I and II) and 27 TD children, ages 5-12 years, were included in the study. The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) and the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) were used to measure functional performance and functional balance, respectively. Postural control during STS was assessed by means of a force plate. Participants were asked to stand from a chair with feet over a force plate. Children with CP exhibited lower scores than TD children in the PBS and in the mobility Functional Skills and Caregiver Assistance domains of the PEDI (p≤0.05). In both groups postural control during STS movement was correlated with mobility Caregiver Assistance scores of the PEDI. The results demonstrate that although the participants had mild to moderate motor impairment, they exhibit deficits in their level of functional performance and functional balance compared to typical children. Moreover, it was observed that impairments in postural control during the STS movement are related to functional performance in both groups. This result demonstrates the importance of the structure and function components to the level of activity in children.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.11.028