Changes of calf muscle-tendon properties due to stretching and active movement of children with cerebral palsy – a pilot study

A portable ankle rehabilitation robot with intelligent stretching and game-based active movement training was used to treat the spastic impaired ankle of children with cerebral palsy over six weeks. The subject´s calf muscles and Achilles tendon properties were evaluated before and after treatment using ultrasonography and biomechanical measures. It was found that there were decreased Achilles tendon resting length (2.5%), increased cross-sectional area (5.5%), increased stiffness (22.9%), increased Young´s modulus (13.8%), decreased soleus muscle fascicular stiffness (53.7%), and decreased medial gastrocnemius fascicular stiffness (46.1%).