Effects of muscle length on an increased stretch reflex in children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

No inhibitory influence of length on the increased stretch reflex was found in the internal gastrocnemius muscle of 19 cerebral palsied children. A facilitory influence of length was found in at least 5 patients in whom quantitative data were obtained. These results were compared with previous data on a facilitory influence in the hamstrings and inhibitory influence in quadriceps muscles.