title: Deliberately Light Interpersonal Contact Affects the Control of Head Stability During Walking in Children and Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy.
abstract: To evaluate the potential of deliberately light interpersonal touch (IPT) for reducing excessive head and trunk sway during self-paced walking in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP).
  
  
  
  Quasi-experimental, proof-of-concept study with between-groups comparison.
  
  
  
  Ambulant care facility, community center.
  
  
  
  Children and adolescents (N=65), consisting of those with CP (spastic and ataxic, n=26; Gross Motor Function Classification System I-III; mean age, 9.8y; 11 girls, 15 boys) and those who were typically developed (TD, n=39; mean age, 10.0y; 23 girls, 16 boys).
  
  
  
  IPT applied by a therapist to locations at the back and the head.
  
  
  
  As primary outcomes, head and trunk sway during self-paced walking were assessed by inertial measurement units. Secondary outcomes were average step length and gait speed.
  
  
  
  CP group: apex and occiput IPT reduced head velocity sway compared with thoracic IPT (both P=.04) irrespective of individuals' specific clinical symptoms. TD group: all testing conditions reduced head velocity sway compared with walking alone (all P≤.03), as well as in apex and occiput IPT compared with paired walking (both P≤.02).
  
  
  
  Deliberately light IPT at the apex of the head alters control of head sway in children and adolescents with CP. The effect of IPT varies as a function of contact location and acts differently in TD individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport and Health Science, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin Hanna
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Schulleri
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Burfeind
authors.affiliation: Phoenix GmbH, Conductive Education of the Pfennigparade Foundation, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Höß-Zenker
authors.affiliation: András Pető College, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Éva
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Feketené Szabó
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Neuroorthopaedics, Schön Klinik München Harlaching, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Herzig
authors.affiliation: MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ledebt
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport and Health Science, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany; School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom. Electronic address: L.Johannsen@uea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johannsen
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D065228:Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D060726:Torso / Q000503:physiopathology; D014110:Touch; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Locomotion; Postural balance; Rehabilitation; Therapeutic touch