Kinematic analysis of upper limb during walking in diplegic children with Cerebral Palsy

Movements of the lower limbs during walking have been widely investigated in literature, while quantification of arm movement during gait is scanty. The aim of the present study was to assess quantitatively the upper limb motion during gait in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Sixteen children with diplegic CP were evaluated using a full-body marker set, which allows assessing both the lower and upper limb kinematics. Our results demonstrated that movement of the arms was characterized by an abducted shoulder and a more flexed elbow position at the initial contact of the gait cycle with a quite physiological range of motion if compared to controls. These data showed that gait of children with diplegic CP is generally characterized by abnormal upper limb position which could be considered a strategy to keep balance and posture control during walking.