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ABSTRACT: Relationships of muscle strength and bone mineral density in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy.
Chen CL, Lin KC, Wu CY, Ke JY, Wang CJ, Chen CY.
Osteoporos Int. 2011 Mar 3.

This work explores the relationships of muscle strength and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). The knee extensor strength, but not motor function, was related to aBMD. Thus, muscle strength, especially antigravity muscle strength, was more associated with aBMD in these children than motor function.

INTRODUCTION: Muscle strength is related to bone density in normal children. However, no studies have examined these relationships in ambulatory children with CP. This work explores the relationships of muscle strength and aBMD in ambulatory children with CP.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the muscle strength, especially antigravity muscle strength, were more associated with the bone density of ambulatory children with CP than motor function. The data may allow clinicians for early identifying the ambulatory CP children of potential low bone density.

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