GAIT CHANGES IN CHILDREN WITH SPASTIC DIPLEGIA AFTER SELECTIVE DORSALRHIZOTOMY

Twenty-six ambulatory children underwent preoperative and 1-year posto perative assessments after selective dorsal rhizotomy. These included spasticity, passive range of motion, tone, three-dimensional motion an alysis, and electromyography. Independent and dependent ambulators wer e evaluated separately, A decrease in spasticity was found in all lowe r extremity muscle groups. An increase in passive range of motion was found only at the hip for both independent and dependent ambulators. G ait changes included increases in velocity and stride length in the in dependent ambulators. An improvement in hip extension during stance wa s found in the dependent ambulators only; however, an increase in knee extension and dorsiflexion in stance were seen in both groups. Select ive dorsal rhizotomy improves both passive and dynamic range of motion in children with spastic diplegia.