title: Forefoot mobility in ankle and foot orthoses: effect on gait of children with cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Typical gait requires flexibility in the ankle and foot. During gait, it is critical that the ankle dorsiflex and the toes extend. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate that when foot orthoses block critical movement undesirable compensations that may interfere with gait can appear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three children with spastic cerebral palsy demonstrate the effect on gait when the blocks attributable to the orthoses were removed.
  
  
  METHODS
  All children received electrical stimulation and used foot orthoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Internal hip rotation and toe walking occurred when orthoses blocked digit extension. A block may be small and unnoticed but can still influence gait and force the child to compensate for the loss of mobility.
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Alamo, California, USA. carmickj@aol.com
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carmick
mesh_terms: D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005545:Forefoot, Human / Q000503:physiopathology; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices