An analysis of muscle synergy structure during voluntary emulation of cerebral palsy gait patterns

Motor control complexity is reduced in individuals with cerebral palsy. However, it is unclear whether the observed reduction is a product of the primary neurologic injury or an outcome from a pathologic gait pattern. In this study, motor control complexity was evaluated for typically-developing (TD) individuals emulating gait patterns commonly seen in cerebral palsy (CP) to distinguish between the effect of primary and secondary impairment on motor control. In a three-person pilot population, gait pattern modulation resulted in inconsistent deviations in motor control complexity, demonstrating that altered gait patterns can lead to altered motor control.