Post-surgical foot deformities in adults with cerebral palsy: understanding long-term function
Official title: Post-Surgical Form and Function of Planovalgus Foot Deformities in Patients with Cerebral Palsy
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11379143 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $567,302 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR083490-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379143 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cerebral palsy who underwent childhood hindfoot deformity surgeries and are experiencing ongoing foot pain or dysfunction.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants without significant deformity progression or pain may not experience direct benefit.
What this research studies
Adults with cerebral palsy who had childhood foot surgeries will be studied to understand long-term changes in foot structure and movement during daily activities. The project uses advanced imaging to track how individual foot bones move in real life, aiming to find consistent ways to measure these movements across studies. The goal is to identify why deformities progress or improve after early surgery and how current function relates to past treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could guide better long-term care and personalized treatment plans for adults with CP facing foot deformities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests long-term outcomes after pediatric foot surgery in CP are variable, highlighting a need for robust adult follow-up.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lenz, Amy L. — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Lenz, Amy L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Measuring how kids with cerebral palsy adapt their walking
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-
Precise measure of how CP affects movement to guide treatment
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-
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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.
-
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.