The 6th of October is World Cerebral Palsy Day. People with cerebral palsy, their families, and the organizations that assist them to come together as one movement to raise awareness and take action about the condition during this crucial event.

Our Clinic is happy to be one of these organizations, helping hundreds of children and adults across the UK gain mobility and independence via orthotic treatment. We are honored to join the millions of people participating in World Cerebral Palsy Day by sharing our knowledge of how pediatric orthotics can benefit children and adults with the condition.

What is cerebral palsy and how does it affect you?

Cerebral palsy affects 17 million people worldwide and is caused by damage to the brain’s motor functions before, during, or after birth. Cerebral palsy is, in fact, the most common physical disability in children. While the symptoms of cerebral palsy differ from individual to individual, all children with this condition have problems with mobility, balance, and posture. Seizures, scoliosis, or problems with vision, hearing, or joints are all typical problems, and many patients also have other disorders.

How can orthotics treat the symptoms of cerebral palsy?

Despite the fact that cerebral palsy is a lifelong diagnosis, orthotics can help patients improve their mobility, independence, and quality of life. Lower limb orthotics, such as bespoke ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs), provide patients with the necessary support and stability to improve mobility, balance, and strength. Other orthotics include spinal braces, which help to maintain correct alignment in the spine, and lycra suits, which allow natural muscle movement whilst guiding weaker or abnormal movement by placing gentle pressure and direction on specific muscles.

Cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition, and orthotic treatment can help patients at any age. Get more guidance on adult cerebral palsy here.

Cerebral Palsy, SDR surgery and the role of orthotics in rehabilitation

Our Clinic has earned a reputation for assisting youngsters with cerebral palsy who have undergone SDR (selective dorsal rhizotomy) surgery to recover. By cutting the nerves in the spine that cause muscular rigidity, this operation tries to alleviate stiffness and increase mobility.

SDR surgery can have significant outcomes, but we’ve found that rehabilitation is an important part of the process. The patient must regain muscle strength and relearn how to walk and move again. In this process, properly designed and administered orthotics play a critical role. The orthotic treatment provided by Our Clinic is aimed to achieve the perfect balance between teaching a child to strengthen their own muscles while also supporting areas of weakness.

Treating cerebral palsy in Our Clinic’s OSKAR clinic and gait laboratory

Our OSKAR (Optimal Kinematic Alignment Method to Rehabilitation) clinic, designed by a world-renowned physiotherapist, Elaine Owen MBE MSc SRP MCSP, is critical to this approach. OSKAR was created to alleviate the symptoms of lower limb neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. OSKAR follows ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health) principles and has amassed a substantial body of evidence over the last six years.

Our orthodontists use OSKAR as a framework to analyze and measure a patient’s physical functioning, gait, and walking patterns. This occurs in our on-site video-vector gait laboratory, where we can precisely measure where force is applied to the leg. This is critical when fine-tuning lower-limb orthotics to produce the best possible results for each patient.

Getting help and support for cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy patients and their families have access to a variety of charities and support groups. The Brain Charity and SCOPE are two of them.

Tree of Hope and Just4Children are two such charity with which Our Clinic collaborates. They can help with fundraising to cover the costs of treating and sustaining cerebral palsy youngsters.

Visit our cerebral palsy site to know more about how the London Orthotic Consultancy can help with the symptoms of cerebral palsy, or contact Our Clinic directly to schedule a consultation with one of our orthotics.