2011 Jun 30. The effect and complication of botulinum toxin type a injection with serial casting for the treatment of spastic equinus foot.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the effect of serial casting combined with Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection on spastic equinus foot. METHOD: Twenty-nine children with cerebral palsy who had equinus foot were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Rehabilitation Medicine. The children were divided into 2 groups, one of which received serial casting after BTX-A injection, and the other which only received BTX-A injection. Serial casting started 3 weeks after the BTX-A injection, and was changed weekly for 3 times. Spasticity of the ankle joint was evaluated using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), and the modified Tardieu scale (MTS). Gait pattern was measured using the physician's rating scale (PRS). RESULTS: The degree of ankle dorsiflexion and the MAS improved significantly until 12 weeks following the BTX-A injection in the serial casting group (p<0.001), while the BTX-A injection-only group improved until 6 weeks following injection (p<0.05). The combined group showed a significantly greater increase in the degree of dorsiflexion compared to the BTX-A injection-only group at post-injection weeks 6 and 12 (p<0.05). Three children (11.5%) suffered from foot ulcers as a complication caused by the serial casting. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the effect of BTX-A injection with serial casting was superior and lasted longer than the effect of BTX-A injection only in patients with spastic equinus foot. We therefore recommend BTX-A injection with serial casting for the treatment of equinus foot. However, physicians must also consider the possible complications associated with serial casting.

2011 Jul 5. Casting, taping or stretching after botulinum toxin type A for spastic equinus foot: a single-blind randomized trial on adult stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the operative method and clinical outcome for the treatment of posttraumatic equinus deformity and concomitant soft tissue defect of the heel. METHODS: Between June 2006 and May 2010, seven cases of posttraumatic equinus deformity and concomitant unstable scar or ulcer of the heels were treated by using a hinged Ilizarov apparatus and reversed sural fasciocutaneous island flap transfer. Achilles tendon lengthening was also done in all patients. The average duration of follow-up was 21 months. The sizes of sural flaps were from 7 cm × 6 cm to 10 cm × 9 cm. Two weeks after the flap transfer, distraction of the Ilizarov fixator was initiated to gradually correct the equinus position of the foot. RESULTS: Results were evaluated by using the following criteria: (1) the degree of active dorsiflexion of the ankle, (2) the total active range of motion of the ankle, and (3) walking ability and flap durability. For active dorsiflexion of the ankle, the results were good in three patients and fair in four patients. For range of active motion of the ankle, the results were good in five patients and fair in two patients. For walking ability and flap durability, the results were good in six patients and fair in one patient. CONCLUSION: This study showed that posttraumatic equinus deformity accompanied by soft tissue defect of the heel can be treated effectively with Achilles tendon lengthening, reversed sural fasciocutaneous island flap transfer, and a hinged Ilizarov technique.

2017 Oct;96(40):e8186. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000008186. Conservative treatment for equinus deformity in children with cerebral palsy using an adjustable splint-assisted ankle-foot orthosis.

BACKGROUND: A novel splint, the assisting ankle-foot orthoses (AFO), was developed to provide adjustable sustained stretching to improve conservative treatment for equinus deformities in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The treatment effect was validated by follow-up visits. METHODS: This study involved subjects between 2 and 12 years old, including 28 CP children treated with splint-assisted AFO correction, 30 CP children treated with static AFO correction, and 30 normal children with typical development (TD). Quantitative pedobarographic measurements were taken to evaluate the effect of splint-assisted AFO correction. The heel/forefoot ratio was introduced to indicate the degree of the equinus deformity during treatment. RESULTS: The results showed that the heel/forefoot ratios were 1.41 ± 0.26 for the TD children; 0.65 ± 0.41, 1.02 ± 0.44, and 1.24 ± 0.51 for the splint-assisted AFO correction before and after 6-month and 12-month treatments; 0.59 ± 0.37, 0.67 ± 0.44, and 0.66 ± 0.42 for the static AFO correction before and after 6-month and 12-month treatments. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that correction with the adjustable splint-assisted AFO is an effective treatment for equinus deformity in CP Children.

1975 Sep;65(9):872-88. Treatment of forefoot equinus by tendon transpositions.

2008 Dec;23(12):1464-6. doi: 10.1177/0883073808319074. Botulinum toxin type A with oral baclofen versus oral tizanidine: a nonrandomized pilot comparison in patients with cerebral palsy and spastic equinus foot deformity.

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of baclofen versus tizanidine as adjuvant treatment of botulinum toxin type A botulinum toxin type A in the management of children with spasticity. Thirty children with gastrocnemius spasticity were retrospectively reviewed at Gaziantep University Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey. All patients were treated with localized botulinum toxin injections and baclofen or tizanidine for spasticity and were followed at 2- to 4-week intervals and evaluated for a total of 12 weeks; 17 children (57%) received baclofen and 13 (43%) received tizanidine. The mean score of Gross Motor Functional Measurement (76.63 +/- 5.88 vs 68.17 +/- 1.99; P < .001) and caregiver questionnaire scores (70.23 +/- 4.76 vs 66.59 +/- 3.53; P = .03) for the tizanidine group were significantly higher as compared with the baclofen group. This study suggests that combination of botulinum toxin type A with oral tizanidine is more effective with fewer side effects than combination of botulinum toxin type A and oral baclofen for spastic cerebral palsy.

2000 Sep;90(8):385-9. Manipulation method for the treatment of ankle equinus.

Ankle equinus is a well-known clinical entity that has previously been shown to compound a variety of foot and ankle conditions. Treatments for this disorder have included surgery to lengthen the Achilles tendon and daily stretching. This article describes a method of manual manipulation that can immediately and substantially increase ankle joint dorsiflexion. Patients treated with manipulation in the current study demonstrated nearly twice as much dorsiflexion motion as that demonstrated by patients in a prior study who were treated with a 5-minute daily stretching program for 6 months.

2004 Nov;55(5):1130-7. Spastic equinus foot: multicenter study of the long-term results of tibial neurotomy.

OBJECTIVE: Tibial neurotomy is a surgical technique widely used for the treatment of spastic equinus foot, but it has rarely been evaluated. The primary objective of this prospective study was to provide an objective quantification of the long-term results of tibial neurotomy. METHODS: This multicenter prospective study was conducted from 1999 to 2003. Fifty-five patients with spastic equinus foot were treated in five neurosurgical centers. Preoperative and postoperative clinical evaluation comprised description of the foot deformity, study of stretch reflexes, evaluation of the repercussions of the deformity, and gait analysis. Selective neurotomy was performed in all patients. RESULTS: No postoperative complications were observed. The mean postoperative follow-up was 10 months. Tibial neurotomy improved the appearance of the foot (equinus and varus deformities, claw toes); the equinus score decreased from 1.54 to 0.273 after the operation. Stretch reflex scores were decreased significantly and for a long term after surgery; the mean triceps surae stretch reflex score decreased from 2.46 to 0.47. The angle of passive dorsiflexion of the ankle increased significantly (from -0.56 degrees to +6.85 degrees). Gait analysis demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the speed of the patient's gait after surgical treatment; the time taken by the patient to walk 10 m at a normal speed in shoes decreased from a mean of 55 seconds to 35.16 seconds. Postoperatively, 92.7% of preoperative objectives had been achieved. CONCLUSION: Tibial neurotomy ensures long-term functional improvement of patients with spastic equinus foot. It provides a lasting response for these patients compared with other, more transient treatments.