Cerebral Palsy Positioning in Sit to Stand Transfer

Pediatric therapists and parents often work on sit to stand transfers with children who have cerebral palsy. This transition can be difficult for some children but it is so important in terms of independence. When a child can transfer from sit to stand independently, it makes many activities of daily living easier such as mobility, bathroom use, dressing skills and more. A recent study in the Journal of Biomechanics investigated cerebral palsy positioning in a sit to stand transfer with a 3D motion analysis system.

Study on Cerebral Palsy Positioning and Sit to Stand Transfer

The researchers compared the effects of chair height and anterior seat inclination on sit-to-stand abilities in 12 children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Each child with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy performed sit to stand transfers in three different conditions:

low chair with horizontal seat (control)
low chair with anterior seat inclination (seat angled forward)
high chair with horizontal seat conditions.

Using a 3D motion analysis system and two force plates, data was collected and analyzed to measure the movement time, mechanical work, kinematics, and kinetics of the sit to stand transfer.

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Results of the Study

Following data analysis on the study of cerebral palsy positioning and the sit to stand transfer, the researchers reported:

movement time and mechanical work during sit to stand transfers were significantly reduced in the low chair with anterior seat inclination and high chair with horizontal seat conditions when compared with the control condition.
trunk alignment at the beginning of the sit to stand task improved and the range of pelvis movement reduced in the low chair with anterior seat inclination.
the range of movement of hip, knee, and ankle joint and maximum hip and knee extension moment were reduced in the children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy in the high chair with horizontal seat conditions when compared with the control condition.

The researchers concluded that chair height and anterior seat inclination may have a positive effect on sit to stand transfer ability in children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy.

Reference: Suriyaamarit, D., & Boonyong, S. (2020). Comparison of the effects of chair height and anterior seat inclination on sit-to-stand ability in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Journal of Biomechanics, 110098.