ReviewHealth science reports2026
The Effect of Ankle-Foot Orthoses and Their Characteristics on Balance, and Postural Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.
Review in Health science reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Aims: Cerebral palsy (CP) frequently compromises postural control and balance in children. Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are routinely prescribed to improve stability, yet the influence of specific design parameters-stiffness, alignment, and individualized tuning-on balance outcomes remains inadequately characterized. Methods: Adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251170932), this systematic review searched six databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library) up to October 10, 2025. Two reviewers independently screened interventional and observational studies assessing AFO effects on balance or postural control in children with CP. Methodological quality was appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute tools, evidence certainty graded via GRADE, and findings synthesized qualitatively across AFO types, assessment methods, and outcome domains. Results: A total of 15 studies ( Conclusion: AFOs may improve balance in children with CP, but evidence is constrained by methodological heterogeneity and very low certainty. Optimal outcomes appear contingent upon individualized configuration-integrating biomechanical tuning, stiffness modulation, footwear compatibility, and context-sensitive wearing protocols. High-quality, parameter-specific trials are imperative to advance precision orthotic prescription and maximize functional stability.
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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.