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ISSN 2063-5346
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HAMSTRING CONTRACTURE EVALUATION AMONG SPASTIC CEREBRAL PALSY AMBULATORY PATIENTS

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Abodoma Fathy Shabeb, Mohammed Osama Hegazy, Mohamed Sherif Raslan Mohamed, Mohamed Hussain Fadel
» doi: 10.53555/ecb/2023.12.4.295

Abstract

Introduction: Due to focal muscle hyperactivity, people with spastic CP have stiffness in their afflicted limbs, which limits or causes uncomfortable movements. In cerebral palsy, hamstring stiffness is the most prevalent issue. Knee flexion contractures occur if treatment is not received. Aim: To evaluate the hamstring contracture through clinical and radiological assessment of lumbopelvic region. Patients and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study design included 30 patients with true hamstring tightness. Every patient underwent the following procedures: a history was obtained; a local clinical examination; an observational gait assessment; an evaluation of gross motor functions; and a radiological assessment that included obtaining plain radiographs of the pelvis and lumbar spine. Results: Two thirds of the cases had GMF 3, and the other third had GMF 2, and that the most common gait was crutch gait (36.7%), followed by jump gait (33.3%), then equinus gait (16.7%) and only 4 cases (13.3%) had normal gait. The vast majority of the cases had tilt (anterior in 60% of the cases and posterior in 13.3% of them) while only 8 cases were normal with no tilt (26.7%). And most of the cases (60%) had decreased SFA, and another 4 cases (13.3%) had decreased SFA. Only 8 cases (26.7%) of the cases were normal. Two thirds of the cases had abnormal lumbo-pelvic alignment (hyperlordotic in 16 cases; 53.3% and kyphotic in 4 cases; 13.3%). More than half of the cases had positive Shift (53.3%), more than half of the cases had positive Thomas, and all of the included cases had positive POP. Conclusion: Hip flexor contracture is the main cause of positive hamstring shift instances, which manifest as tightness in the hamstrings.

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