Joint range of motion limitations in children and young adults with spinal muscular atrophy.
OBJECTIVE
To elicit descriptive data about limited joint range of motion (ROM) in subjects with type II or III spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and to examine the relation between the number of motions with limited range and both age and functional ability.


METHODS
Descriptive cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Neurologic pediatric outpatient clinic at a hospital in Taiwan.


METHODS
Twenty-seven subjects with SMA type II (mean age, 9.8+/-6.5y) and 17 with SMA type III (mean age, 12.2+/-8.7y). Intervention Measurement with transparent goniometers of joint ROM bilaterally of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle.


METHODS
The proportion of participants with each ROM limitation compared with all participants with the same SMA type, age distribution of the participants with each ROM limitation, mean range loss of each motion limitation, and the contracture index (risk index of joint contracture).


RESULTS
Eighty-nine percent of the participants with SMA type II experienced knee extension limitation. Approximately 50% of the participants with both types of SMA had ankle dorsiflexion limitation. The motions of knee and hip extension and ankle dorsiflexion also had a relatively high contracture index. The number of motions with limited range positively correlated ( P <.001) with age and upper-extremity functional grade (the higher the functional grade, the poorer the functional ability) for SMA type II.


CONCLUSIONS
We found varying degrees of joint ROM limitation. Certain motions were noted to be high risks for the development of contractures. This risk was higher mostly in younger children.
School of Physical Therapy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Hui Yi
HY
Wang
Yun Huei
YH
Ju
Shu Mei
SM
Chen
Sing Kai
SK
Lo
Yuh Jyh
YJ
Jong
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003286:Contracture / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007596:Joints / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*