THE RELATION BETWEEN STANDING BALANCE AND WALKING FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH SPASTIC DIPLEGIC CEREBRAL-PALSY

To establish and compare the relationship between standing balance and walking performance, eight children with spastic diplegic cerebral pa lsy (CP) and 16 non-disabled, age- and sex-matched children were studi ed, The results showed that the children with CP had worse static bala nce stability in various sensory environments and dynamic balance (rhy thmic shifting ability) than the non-disabled children. Moreover, the children with CP walked at a slower speed but at a greater physiologic al cost than the non-disabled children. In the children with CP, dynam ic balance significantly correlated with walking function. It is sugge sted that rhythmic weight-shift training should be encouraged to impro ve the walking performance of children with GP.