Crouch Gait Represents a Simplified Muscular Support Strategy During Single-Limb Stance Compared to Unimpaired Gait

For patients with cerebral palsy who walk in a crouched posture, gait is often a strenuous activity. In order to improve gait, surgeons and therapists attempt to identify individual muscles that can be strengthened, surgically lengthened, or otherwise treated to improve patients’ abilities to support their body weight and propel themselves forward. However, little is known about the role of individual muscles during crouch gait, and current treatments often produce inconsistent results. The goal of this study was to identify which muscles are employed during crouch gait to support the body during single-limb stance. Understanding how the support strategy of crouch gait compares to unimpaired gait can provide insight into the underlying causes of crouch gait. Traditional movement analysis cannot fully characterize the role of individual muscles during gait. Therefore, we developed dynamic simulations to examine the contribution of lower-extremity muscles to support and progression.