Jonathan Pierret

Chez l’enfant, les segments axiaux sont la première référence autour de laquelle se développe la marche et un développement atypique du contrôle de ces derniers pourrait donc avoir des incidences néfastes sur la marche. Chez les enfants atteints de paralysie cérébrale (PC), la marche digitigrade, c’est à dire l’absence de premier pivot associée à une pose de pied à plat, est fréquente. Si ce comportement a souvent été considéré comme résultant de la spasticité des fléchisseurs plantaires, de récents travaux questionnent cette physiopathologie et ouvrent la voie à la recherche d’une causalité plus fonctionnelle. Ces enfants ont par ailleurs une grande instabilité des segments axiaux. La marche digitigrade pourrait alors être une forme d’adaptation permettant de compenser un contrôle axial déficitaire. Le premier objectif de cette thèse était la mise en évidence des troubles du contrôle axial chez des enfants atteints de PC âgés de 6 à 12 ans après avoir caractérisé son développement typique (DT) aux mêmes âges. En utilisant une assise instable neutralisant la contribution des membres inférieurs et supérieurs dans le contrôle postural, nous montrons dans l’étude 1 une amélioration de la stabilisation axiale chez les enfants DT entre 6 et 12 ans, soulignant un développement progressif du contrôle des segments axiaux entre ces âges. Cette même méthode couplée à une évaluation fonctionnelle du tronc montre dans l’étude 2 un déficit de stabilisation et d’utilisation fonctionnelle des segments axiaux chez 17 enfants atteints de PC comparés à des enfants DT du même âge – déficits associés à de plus amples oscillations debout. Le second objectif consistait à établir des liens fonctionnels entre marche digitigrade et les déficits axiaux puis à proposer d’améliorer la marche par une rééducation centrée sur le tronc. L’étude 3 montre que les enfants atteints de PC s’adaptent au port de chaussure à cambrure inversée par une dorsiflexion permettant la pose de la chaussure à plat et le maintien d’un même freinage que pieds nus lors de la phase de mise en charge, confirmant l’aspect fonctionnel de ce freinage. L’étude 4 confirme que ce dernier est lié à la dynamique du tronc et vise à pallier les déficits de contrôle axial. Nous montrons ensuite qu’une rééducation centrée sur le tronc améliore le contrôle des segments axiaux tout comme l’équilibre locomoteur avec une diminution post-rééducation du freinage de la dorsiflexion et du tronc pendant la mise en charge.

Introduction: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have gross motor and balance disorders altering standing, walking and activities. Since trunk control is central for balance, rehabilitation targeting the trunk is developing. In children with CP aged 5–12 years, rehabilitation by activities involving the trunk (RAIT) based on activities in intermediate postures for 3 months has been demonstrated to significantly improve trunk control while standing and early trunk deceleration and coupled negative ankle power due to plantar flexors while walking autonomously. As motor disorders develop early, the effects of RAIT are investigated in younger children and for longer time: the adapted design of this study is presented. Initial motor disorders in children with CP aged 18 months to 5 years and 6 months are expected to show at least a 30% reduction after RAIT compared to UR (based on prior findings in older children), with progressive improvements of 40% and 50% at 6 and 12 months, respectively, reflecting cumulative training effects. Methods: The studied motor disorders include −1- during gait, excessive early anterior deceleration of the sternum (primary outcome) measured by inertial measurement unit, excessive anterior location of center of pressure on affected leg(s), Enhanced Gait Variability Index and step width measured by a walkway equipped with pressure sensors, −2- Altered gross motor, balance and trunk function measured by the item set version of the Gross Motor Function Measurement 66 and by the Early Clinical Assessment of Balance. Expected results: All these variables would be influenced by trunk balance and control, and therefore reduced after RAIT. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06438432 .

Introduction: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have gross motor and balance disorders altering standing, walking and activities. Since trunk control is central for balance, rehabilitation targeting the trunk is developing. In children with CP aged 5 to 12 years, rehabilitation by activities involving the trunk (RAIT) based on activities in intermediate postures for 3 months has been demonstrated to significantly improve trunk control while standing and early trunk deceleration and coupled negative ankle power due to plantar flexors while walking autonomously. As motor disorders develop early, the effects of RAIT are investigated in younger children and for longer time: the adapted design of this study is presented. Initial motor disorders in children with CP aged 18 months to 5 years and 6 months, compared with typically developing children, are expected to be better reduced after RAIT during its first 3 months application than after usual rehabilitation, and to be increasingly reduced after 3, 6 and 12 months of RAIT. Methods: The studied motor disorders include −1-during gait, excessive early anterior deceleration of the sternum (primary outcome) measured by inertial measurement unit, excessive anterior location of center of pressure on affected leg(s), excessive enhanced gait variability index and step width measured by a walkway equipped with pressure sensors, −2-Altered gross motor, balance and trunk function measured by the item set version of the Gross Motor Function Measurement 66 and by the Early Clinical Assessment of Balance. Expected results: All these variables would be influenced by trunk balance and control, and therefore reduced after RAIT. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06438432 What this paper adds?: Balance control is essential in motor control with a central role of the trunk. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have motor, balance and trunk deficits. A trunk-focused rehabilitation by activities in intermediate postures presented (RAIT). Study design to assess the long-term effects of RAIT in young children with CP. RAIT would improve trunk and foot dynamics during gait and gross motor function.

Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) rehabilitation requires the development of new methods that can be easily integrated into conventional practice. The aim of the HEMISTIM protocol is to assess immediate and long-term recovery induced by an innovative association of left-side neck-muscle vibration (NMV) and anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on the ipsilesional posterior parietal cortex during occupational therapy sessions in patients with left USN. Participants will be randomly assigned to four groups: control, Left-NMV, Left-NMV + sham-tDCS or Left-NMV + anodal-tDCS. NMV and tDCS will be applied during the first 15 min of occupational therapy sessions, three days a week for three weeks. USN will be assessed at baseline, just at the end of the first experimental session, after the first and third weeks of the protocol and three weeks after its ending. Our primary outcome will be the evolution of the functional Catherine Bergego Scale score. Secondary outcome measures include five tests that investigate different neuropsychological aspects of USN. Left NMV, by activating multisensory integration neuronal networks, might enhance effects obtained by conventional therapy since post-effects were shown when it was combined with upper limb movements. We expect to reinforce lasting intermodal recalibration through LTP-like plasticity induced by anodal tDCS.

The functionalities of myoelectric hooks, such as whether they allow wrist movements, as well as the volume and design of the devices, may impact how fitted transradial amputees use their upper limbs. The aim of the current study was to compare two prosthetic myoelectric hooks in terms of compensatory shoulder movements, functionality and user satisfaction. This monocentric, randomized, controlled, cross-over trial evaluated eight transradial amputees fitted with two prosthetic myoelectric hooks, the Greifer and the Axon-Hook, during two consecutive periods. At the end of each period, shoulder abduction (mean and percentage of time with shoulder abduction > 60°) and manual dexterity were assessed using the Box and Blocks Test (BBT) on both sides, and satisfaction was assessed with the Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology questionnaire. For each patient, data obtained with the BBT on the amputated side were compared with those obtained on the non-amputated side. Shoulder abduction was significantly higher with the Greifer (60.9°± 20.3°, p = 0.03) than with the Axon-Hook (39.8°± 16.9°) and also than with the NA side (37.6 ± 19.4°, p = 0.02). Shoulder abduction on the NA side (37.6 ± 19.4°) was close to that of the Axon-Hook (39.8°± 16.9°). The percentage of time spent with shoulder abduction > 60° during the BBT was higher with the Greifer than with the Axon-Hook or with the NA side (53.3 ± 34.4%, 17.6 ± 27.0% and 18.4 ± 34.9%, respectively), but the differences were not significant (p = 0.15). A significant strong negative correlation was found between shoulder abduction and wrist position with the Axon-Hook (r = -0.86; p < 0.01), but not with the Greifer. Manual dexterity and satisfaction did not differ significantly between the two devices. These results revealed compensatory movements, such as shoulder abduction in transradial amputees equipped with hooks, themselves influenced by the prosthetic device settings.