Efficacy of Surgery for Idiopathic Toe Walking
ConditionIdiopathic Toe-walking
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age8-16
SponsorUniversity of Oxford
About this trial
BACKGROUND:
For children who walk on their tip toes, surgery is often done to lengthen their Achilles Tendon. However, there is little research to help children's surgeons choose which children with idiopathic toe walking should have surgery.
METHODS:
This research study will investigate how effective surgery to lengthen the Achilles Tendon is for children with idiopathic toe walking. It will explore if the children\'s quality of life, endurance, strength, range of movement or walking pattern improves after they have had surgery.
This study is a pilot study with 20 participants. This means the results will be used to decide if a larger trial is needed.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Children aged 8-16 at recruitment.
Idiopathic toe walkers based on clinicians' assessment.
Plantarflexion contracture with knee extended of 0 degrees or less of dorsiflexion.
Listed for surgical lengthening of the plantarflexors.
Disqualifiers
Unable to give informed assent or consent. Previous surgery to the lower limb.
Unable to effectively participate in gait analysis (e.g. unable to walk 10-metres unaided, unable to walk independently, allergy to adhesive for skin markers, hyperhidrosis).
Underlying diagnoses which may cause toe walking (e.g. muscular dystrophy, split cord malformation, cerebral palsy).
Listed for additional procedures in the surgery for the lengthening of the plantarflexors.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Achilles Lengthening Surgery
Treatment groups
20 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupSponsors and collaborators
University of Oxford
Lead sponsor
British Society for Children's Orthopaedic Surgery
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov