Normative values of physical examinations commonly used for cerebral palsy

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to establish normative values and to identify age-related change in physical examinations that are commonly used while evaluating patients with cerebral palsy (CP). Materials and Methods: One hundred four healthy volunteers (mean age 36 years, standard deviation 15 years) were enrolled and divided into four age groups: 13-20, 21-35, 36-50, and 51 years and older. The eighteen physical examination tests for CP were selected by five orthopedic surgeons in consensus-building session. The measurements were taken by three orthopedic surgeons. Results: There was no significant difference in the measures of physical examination among all the age groups, except for the Sta-heli test (p=0.002). The post hoc test revealed that the mean hip extension was 2.7 degrees higher in the 13-20-year-old group than in the other age groups. The bilateral popliteal angle had a tendency to increase in those over 36-years-old. There were 31 participants (30%) with a unilateral popliteal angle greater than 40 degrees. Conclusion: We documented normative values that can be widely used for evaluating CP in patients 13 years and older.