Ann Rehabil Med.  2017 Feb;41(1):104-112. 10.5535/arm.2017.41.1.104.

Therapeutic Effect of Microcurrent Therapy in Children With In-toeing Gait Caused by Increased Femoral Anteversion: A Pilot Study

• Ahn JK
• Kwon DR
• Park GY
• Lee KH
• Rim JH
• Jung WB
• Kwon DG

• KMID: 2383684
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.2017.41.1.104

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of portable microcurrent therapy device (PMTD) of the hip internal rotators in the treatment of in-toeing gait caused by increased femoral anteversion in children over 8 years of age.
METHODS
Eleven children (22 legs; 4 boys and 7 girls; mean age, 10.4±1.6 years) with in-toeing gait caused by increased femoral anteversion were included in the present study. All children received 60 minutes of PMTD (intensity, 25 µA; frequency, 8 Hz) applied to the hip internal rotators daily for 4 weeks. Hip internal rotation (IR) angle, external rotation (ER) angle, and midmalleolar-second toe angle (MSTA) measurement during stance phase at transverse plane and Family Satisfaction Questionnaire, frequency of tripping and fatigue like pains about the PMTD were performed before treatment and at 4 weeks after initial PMTD treatment. Paired t-test and Fisher exact test were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Hip IR/ER/MSTA was 70.3°±5.4°/20.1°±5.5°/-11.4°±2.7°, and 55.7°±7.8°/33.6°±8.2°/-2.6°±3.8° before treatment and at 4 weeks after initial PMTD treatment, respectively (p<0.01). Ten of 11 (91%) children's family stated that they were generally satisfied with the PMTD treatment. The frequency of tripping and fatigue like pains was significantly lower at 4 weeks after PMTD treatment (p<0.05). Excellent inter-rater and intra-rater reliability was observed for repeated MSTA measurements between the examiners (k=0.91-0.96 and k=0.93-0.99), respectively.
CONCLUSION
PMTD of the hip internal rotators can be effective in improving the gait pattern of children with in-toeing gait caused by increased femoral anteversion.

Keyword

Bone anteversion; Gait; Electrical stimulation therapy

MeSH Terms

Bone Anteversion
Child*
Electric Stimulation Therapy
Fatigue
Female
Gait*
Hip
Humans
Leg
Pilot Projects*
Toes

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The electrical patches for microcurrent therapy were attached at the fixed point of the anterior fibres of the gluteus medius and minimus muscles, which were located at the middle of two reference points and greater trochanter (GT). PSIS, posterior superior iliac spine; ASIS, anterior superior iliac spine.

• 

  Fig. 2 Still image of a girl in-toeing gait demonstrating midmalleolar-second toe angle (MSTA), which is defined as the angle between the two reference lines in the transverse plane (one line was an imaginary line drawn perpendicular to the midway between the medial and lateral malleoli; the other line was an imaginary longitudinal line drawn from midway between the medial and lateral malleoli to second toe) and calculated using still image of gait motion analysis.

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