Abstract:

The aim of this study is to evaluate the biomechanical properties of the gastrokinemius muscle (tonus, elasticity, hardness) with myotonometer in children with spastic cerebral palsy and to show the effectiveness of electrical stimulation on muscle tone, elasticity and hardness.  Method and method: 40 patients with spastic cerebral palsy (11 dipletic, 16 quadripleic, 13 hemipleic) and 20 healthy controls matching age, gender, body mass index were evaluated. The tone, elasticity and hardness of the medial and lateral gastrokinemius muscle of the bilateral and hemiplegic patients and the healthy controls were measured by the MyotonPro device. With the Spastisite Ashworth scale, the functional levels were assessed by the Hard Motor Function Classification System. The measurements obtained from the 66 limbs of the brain palsy group were compared to the measurements obtained from the 40 limbs of the healthy group.  Results: Electrical stimulation therapy for 5 days was applied to the gastrokinemius muscle of 18 patients (31 extremities) from the brain palsy group. Pre- and post-treatment measurements have been repeated. After electrical stimulation, a significant decrease in the tone and hardness of the medial and lateral gastrokinemius muscles and a significant increase in elasticity was observed. As the Ashworth score was significantly reduced, there was no correlation between the Ashworth score and myotonometric values.  The result: As a result of our work, the application of electric stimulation improved the muscle tone, elasticity and hardness values. MyotonPro has been found that it can be used in the assessment of spastisite and measurement of the therapeutic effectiveness in children with cerebral palsy.

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