Improving ankle push-off and walking in children with cerebral palsy
Official title: Augmenting Ankle Plantarflexor Function and Walking Capacity in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Funded at Northern Arizona University · NIH-11161507 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A lightweight wearable ankle robot that can either give resistance to build strength or provide assistance to make walking easier is being used to help children with cerebral palsy walk better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northern Arizona University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Flagstaff, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $412,402 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD107277-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11161507 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with cerebral palsy who have difficulty with ankle push-off, abnormal gait patterns, and the ability to participate in supervised walking training are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Children whose walking limitations are caused primarily by non-ankle issues (for example severe hip/knee instability or medical conditions preventing safe participation) may not benefit from this ankle-focused device.
What this research studies
Your child would wear a lightweight, dual-mode ankle device that can switch between providing targeted resistance to train muscles and giving adaptive assistance during harder or longer walks. Therapists will use resistance during focused walking sessions to encourage stronger, more efficient ankle muscle use, and will use assistance when sustained or high-intensity walking is needed. The team will measure changes in ankle muscle function, walking speed, endurance, and everyday activity levels before and after the training. Visits and testing would occur at the research site and include follow-up checks to track lasting changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help children with cerebral palsy walk more efficiently, farther, and with less effort.
How similar studies have gone: Robotic ankle assistance and targeted resistance therapies have shown promise separately for improving gait in cerebral palsy, but combining adaptive assistance and resistance in a single wearable device is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lerner, Zachary Forest — Northern Arizona University
- Study coordinator: Lerner, Zachary Forest
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Measuring how kids with cerebral palsy adapt their walking
A study to understand how children with cerebral palsy learn and adjust walking, and how personalized feedback during walking might improve their mobility.
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Precise measure of how CP affects movement to guide treatment
Aims to create precise, child-friendly ways to measure selective motor control in cerebral palsy so treatment can be tailored to each child.
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Non-invasive spinal stimulation to help kids with cerebral palsy move and reduce stiffness
This study tests a non-invasive spinal stimulation plus treadmill training to reduce spasticity and improve walking in children with cerebral palsy.
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Physiologic marker to predict cerebral palsy early in high-risk babies
Aims to create an early, easy screen using NICU vital signs to flag infants at higher risk for cerebral palsy so families can get timely follow-up.
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Post-surgical foot deformities in adults with cerebral palsy: understanding long-term function
This research looks at how hindfoot problems in adults with cerebral palsy behave over time after childhood surgeries and what factors influence their lasting function.
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Dynamic Brain Imaging of Cerebral Palsy Gait
This project uses advanced brain and spinal imaging to understand how cerebral palsy affects the way young people plan and control their leg movements during walking.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.