Coactivation, spasticity, motor and functional performance in cerebral palsy

The purpose of this study was to identify whether or not there is an association between muscle coactivation during gait, spasticity, functional abilities and gross motor behavior in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to compare these parameters to those of children with typical development (TD). Sixteen children with TD and 23 children with CP participated of this study. The clinical instruments included: the Modified Ashworth Scale for spasticity, the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory for functional abilities and the Gross Motor Function Measure for gross motor behaviors. Using coactivation index (CI), activation of the rectus femoris and semitendinosus muscles was analyzed during the participants'gait cycles. Measures of functional abilities were related to parameters of gross motor behaviors and, therefore, providing appropriate indicators of motor changes. Contrary, the CI does not seem to be an appropriate parameter for identifying changes in gross motor behavior in children with CP of minimal severity.