LEIPZIG, Germany — David N. Condie, BSC, CEng, FISPO, consultant and clinical engineer, Glasgow, Scotland, UK, discussed the value of orthotic treatment in people with cerebral palsy at the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2012 International Trade Show and World Congress.
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| David N. Condie |
Condie organized two Consensus Conferences on cerebral palsy (CP) and its treatment on behalf of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO).The first Consensus Conference was held at Duke University in Durham, NC. The results of the meeting were published by ISPO in 1996 and quickly became the most sought-after ISPO publication.
Ten years later, it was clear that much of the content of the ISPO report was out of date. In 2008, a second conference was held at the University of Oxford to update and extend the scope of CP research and treatment. Twenty-four recognized experts in the CP field representing all the professions involved in the treatment of CP were invited to participate.
The updated report was published in 2009 and contained 140 conclusions and recommendations. The first 15 conclusions and recommendations of the report described overarching themes as they applied to the total scope of the conference.
“A consensus conference process results in a snapshot of the state of our knowledge regarding the effectiveness of treatment methods used during a specific point of time,” Condie told the audience at the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2012 International Trade Show and World Congress. “Fortunately, research in the field of CP is an ongoing process. These findings add to the body of the available evidence, which will ultimately lead to changes in the conclusions and recommendations regarding treatment.”
Forty-three of the 140 conclusions and recommendations pertained to the area of orthotic treatment for CP patients.
“Considering the use of AFOs, it was concluded that the AFOs that prevent plantarflexion can improve gait efficiency,” Condie said. “Secondly, it has been demonstrated that AFOs have an indirect effect upon the kinetic and kinematics of both the knee and the hip joints and these effects may be optimized by tuning the orthosis.”
Condie D. Cerebral palsy and its treatment – the ISPO Consensus Conference and beyond. Presented at the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2012 International Trade Show and World Congress. May 15-18. Leipzig, Germany.
