Interventions for Gait Training in Children With Spinal Cord Impairments: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE: This is a scoping review of the literature on interventions for gait in individuals with pediatric spinal cord impairments.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: Four categories of interventions were identified: orthoses/assistive devices, electrical stimulation, treadmill training, and infant treadmill stepping.

CONCLUSIONS: Studies on orthotic intervention, electrical stimulation, and treadmill training reported benefits for various components of gait. The majority of articles (77%) were classified as levels of evidence III and IV.

CLINICAL RECOMMENDATIONS: Each intervention targeted specific outcomes; therefore, it is important to identify individual patient characteristics and goals appropriate for each intervention to guide clinical practice. Determining the appropriate orthotic support for each child, and incorporating treadmill training or electrical stimulation, is recommended.