ReviewEuropean journal of applied physiology2019
What causes increased passive stiffness of plantarflexor muscle-tendon unit in children with spastic cerebral palsy?
Review in European journal of applied physiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Relationship between hypertrophy, strength gains and tensiomyography adaptations: a moderator role of contraction duration.European journal of applied physiology · 2022Trial
- ASB Pre-Doctoral Award 2021: model-based insights into the effects of complex structure, dynamics, and neuromechanics on soleus muscle stiffness.Journal of biomechanics · 2026Article
- Muscle Tendon Passive Parameter Estimation Using Musculoskeletal Optimal Control.Annals of biomedical engineering · 2026Article
- Impact of Wrist and Finger Extension on Passive Joint Torques and Their Association with Forearm Flexor Muscle Structure in Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy: Early Findings.Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference · 2025Article
- Exploration of the triceps surae muscle in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy using instrumented measurements of stiffness and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging for muscle architecture.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Observational
- The Non-Affected Muscle Volume Compensates for the Partial Loss of Strength after Injection of Botulinum Toxin A.Toxins · 2023Article
- Functional Benefit and Orthotic Effect of Dorsiflexion-FES in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Dynamic Standing Exercise using the Innowalk Device in Patients with Genetic and Acquired Motor Impairments.Journal of rehabilitation medicine · 2022Article
- Effect of durations and pressures of cupping therapy on muscle stiffness of triceps.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2022Article
- Accurate measures of passive muscle-tendon stiffness in children with cerebral palsy are needed.European journal of applied physiology · 2020Article
- Room for improvement: metrological properties of passive muscle-tendon stiffness measures in children with cerebral palsy.European journal of applied physiology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThe term 'stiffness' is commonly used in the literature to refer to various components of 'hyperresistance' by which spastic muscles oppose to their passive lengthening, especially in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Originally, stiffness consists of mechanical resistance to passive movement in the absence of any muscle activation. Increased muscle stiffness in CP therefore refers to alterations to the mechanical properties of the tissue. It is closely linked to muscle shortening, yet the two phenomena are not equivalent. Both increased stiffness and shortening are present early in childhood in the plantarflexor muscles of children with spastic CP.
methodsThis narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on passive stiffness of the plantarflexor muscles measured at the joint, muscles, fascicles, and fiber level in children with CP. Articles were searched through the Pub'Med database using the keywords "cerebral palsy" AND "stiffness".
resultThe ambiguous use of the term 'stiffness' has been supported by discrepancies in available results, influenced by heterogeneity in materials, methodologies and characteristics of the participants among studies. Increased stiffness at the joint and muscle belly level may be explained by altered structural properties at the microscopic level.
conclusionThis thorough investigation of the literature suggests that the pathophysiology and the time course of the development of stiffness and contracture remain to be elucidated. A consideration of both morphological and mechanical measurements in children with CP is important when describing the alterations in their plantarflexors.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.