title: Ambulation in patients with myelomeningocele: a study of 1500 patients.
abstract: Data from 1500 patients affected by spina bifida have been collected in a multicentre study in Spain from 1986 to 1988. This paper is concerned with a part of the data, specifically regarding the walking of patients and certain factors that influence the prognosis for ambulation. The neurological level of lesion most commonly present was lumbosacral (65.6%). Hydrocephalus was frequent (62% of the sample), and has significant implications regarding prognosis for walking. Hip dislocation (32%) and scoliosis (22.9%) were orthopaedic problems noted in our sample. Pressure sores appeared in 31.7% of the patients. The onset of walking ability has been studied; 15% of the sample started walking at an age older than 5 years. Finally, different modalities of ambulation are described according to the use of ancillary devices, and in independence in activities of daily living.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Díaz Llopis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bea Muñoz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinez Agulló
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López Martinez
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: García Aymerich
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Forner Valero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000150:complications; D014853:Walkers; D016138:Walking