Validation of Inertial Measurement Units for Walking Analysis in Healthy Children and Children With Cerebral Palsy Aged 7 to 17 Years

What this Trial Is About

Cerebral palsy CP is a leading cause of disability in children, often causing muscle stiffness, bone defects, and spasticity that severely impact walking ability. Researchers are studying new ways to measure walking using wearable devices called inertial measurement units IMUs that can record foot and body movements in real-life situations. This study aims to validate these devices first in healthy children and then in children with cerebral palsy to ensure accurate and safe measurement of walking parameters. The study involves 3-dimensional gait analysis using IMUs placed on the feet and other body parts. Children will be assessed while walking and running on flat ground at various speeds, including slow, comfortable, and fast paces. The first phase validates the IMU measurements in healthy children aged 7 to 17 years, and if successful, the same measurements will be tested in children with cerebral palsy who can walk without technical aids. Participants will visit the study site where their walking speed and movement will be recorded using the IMUs. Researchers will analyze spatio-temporal parameters of locomotion to evaluate the devices accuracy and safety. The study also requires children to understand simple instructions and live within 50 km of the site. The total participation includes assessments during study visits, with walking speed as the main outcome measured. Safety and validity monitoring will guide the progression to testing in children with cerebral palsy.

Analysis of the Psychometric Properties of Kinematic Parameters of Locomotion Measured by Inertial Measurement Units. Validation in Healthy Children and Children With Cerebral Palsy