Abstract:

Objective To apply ultrasonography to quantitatively evaluate the structure and biomechanical properties of gastrocnemius muscle in children with spastic cerebral palsy.
Methods From December, 2020 to December, 2021, 36 children with spastic diplegia or hemiplegia were selected as experimental group, and other 30 healthy children matched age and gender were as control group during the same period. All the subjects were measured muscle thickness (MT), muscle fiber length (FL), pinnate angle (PA) and shear wave velocity (SWV) with two-dimensional ultrasound imaging and shear wave elastography on the medial gastrocnemius of the affected side (hemiplegia), more serious side (diplegia) or random side (control group), while the gastrocnemius muscle tone and gross motor function of the experimental group were assessed with modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM).
Results MT and FL were less in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 3.937, P< 0.001), while PA and SWV were more (|t| > 6.105, P < 0.001). MT and FL positively correlated to GMFM score (r > 0.391, P < 0.05), while SWV positively correlated to MAS score (r= 0.734, P < 0.001).
Conclusion Ultrasonography can be used to quantitatively evaluate the structure and stiffness of gastrocnemius muscle for children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Key words: spastic, cerebral palsy, children, ultrasonography, gastrocnemius, assessment