Cerebral palsy (CP)

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and posture. It’s caused by damage to the brain that happens before, during or shortly after birth.

While cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition that varies from person to person, physical therapy and bespoke orthotics can help people with cerebral palsy move more easily and independently.

Symptoms of cerebral palsy

At LOC, our approach to cerebral palsy treatment is guided by both clinical experience and published research. Our team has contributed to research on AFO treatment in children with cerebral palsy, and we have also shared a case report showing how AI-assisted gait analysis can help measure the benefits of carbon-fibre AFOs.

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term that includes a whole range of symptoms and severities and is unique to each person.

For some people, cerebral palsy will affect them physically, with muscle tightness and involuntary movement making muscle movements more difficult. Others may have a learning disability or experience seizures, epilepsy or difficulties with speech and language.

Not all symptoms are visible at birth and may become more obvious as a baby develops.

The following terms describe the area of the body affected:

• hemiplegic affects one side of the body (arm and leg on the same side). The other side may function normally.
• diplegic mostly affects the legs, causing difficulty with walking and coordination, while arm function is often better.
• quadriplegic affects all four limbs (both arms and legs) as well as the trunk. It is often the most severe form and symptoms can include learning difficulties and seizures.