Measuring how kids with cerebral palsy adapt their walking
Official title: Quantifying patient-specific changes in neuromuscular control in cerebral palsy
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11617681 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how children with cerebral palsy learn and adjust walking, and how personalized feedback during walking might improve their mobility.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2015 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $71,735 |
| NIH project number | 3R01NS091056-10S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617681 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with cerebral palsy resulting from early brain injury, particularly those who have or are undergoing walking-related treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Some children may not experience marked improvements in walking function from the specific training approaches tested.
What this research studies
This project focuses on kids with cerebral palsy who have early brain injuries that affect walking. It uses patient-specific measures of muscle coordination to see how individuals adapt their movements during walking. The team plans to test real-time feedback training to promote motor learning and potential improvements in walking function. The goal is to quantify adaptation and identify training approaches that enhance everyday mobility.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to more effective, personalized walking therapies for children with CP.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests patient-specific motor control measures relate to treatment outcomes, with potential for improvement through targeted training.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Steele, Katherine M — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Steele, Katherine M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Understanding how spinal development is affected in cerebral palsy and finding ways to ease spasticity
Researchers are studying why spastic cerebral palsy causes tight muscles and reflexes and are testing a noninvasive treatment to help reduce these symptoms.
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.