Abstract
Muscle-tendon unit surgery for correction of deformities and movement dysfunction in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is fairly complicated. An understanding of basic muscle-tendon unit properties and their adaptation to both CP and surgery are important to develop advances in this field. In this review, we provide information to therapists, surgeons, and scientists regarding the short- and long-term adaptations of the muscle-tendon unit. Surgical releases, lengthening, and transpositions are discussed, as are some of the tissue, cellular, and molecular adaptations. What this paper adds Muscle strength, tone, and control must be considered in surgical interventions for cerebral palsy (CP). Muscle-tendon unit lengthening causes significant and lasting weakness requiring prolonged rehabilitation. Sarcomere length increases in CP muscle may be one of the underlying causes of muscle weakness. Muscle satellite cells are decreased and epigenetically modified in a way that may limit muscle growth in CP.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 908-913 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology |
| Volume | 63 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2021 |
Funding
We acknowledge grant support by the Department Veterans Affairs NIH/NICHD grants R01 HD048501 and HD050837 and NIH/NIAMS grant R01 AR057393. This work was supported in part by Research Career Scientist Award Number IK6 RX003351 from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation R&D (Rehab RD) Service. The authors have stated that they had no interests that might be perceived as posing a conflict or bias.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology