Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of physical therapy using Cascade orthotics and an exercise program for children with hypotonia and flatfeet. Subjects: Thirty-seven children, aged 18 months to 5 years, who demonstrated developmental delays and hypotonia with flatfoot dysfunction, participated in this study. Methods: Three groups (control, orthotic, and orthotic-exercise) were studied. The orthotic- exercise group practiced bilateral heel lifts besides wearing the orthoses. An arch index was used to assess the width of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) pre/post interventions. Gait parameters (velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence) were assessed four times in a six-month period using the GAITRite™ system. Results: Significant differences pre/post testing (P<.05) were found in the arch index for the orthotic group and positive trends were observed for the orthotic-exercise group. Velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence changes were also significant for the three groups over time. Conclusions: Interventions benefit children with hypotonia and flat feet. Future studies might consider a longer duration and larger sample size.
","abstract_html":"<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of physical therapy using Cascade orthotics and an exercise program for children with hypotonia and flatfeet. <strong>Subjects:</strong> Thirty-seven children, aged 18 months to 5 years, who demonstrated developmental delays and hypotonia with flatfoot dysfunction, participated in this study. <strong>Methods:</strong> Three groups (control, orthotic, and orthotic-exercise) were studied. The orthotic- exercise group practiced bilateral heel lifts besides wearing the orthoses. An arch index was used to assess the width of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) pre/post interventions. Gait parameters (velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence) were assessed four times in a six-month period using the GAITRite™ system. <strong>Results:</strong> Significant differences pre/post testing (P<.05) were found in the arch index for the orthotic group and positive trends were observed for the orthotic-exercise group. Velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence changes were also significant for the three groups over time. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Interventions benefit children with hypotonia and flat feet. Future studies might consider a longer duration and larger sample size.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ross, Charmayne G."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Physical Therapy Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Bonnie Forrester","Everett Lohman III","Grenith Zimmerman","Fernando Villar"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2004-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:37Z","subjects":["Physical Therapy","Muscle Hypotonia -- therapy","Flatfoot -- therapy","Child."],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1345","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Bonnie Forrester","Everett Lohman III","Grenith Zimmerman","Fernando Villar"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ross, Charmayne G."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Physical Therapy Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Physical Therapy","Muscle Hypotonia -- therapy","Flatfoot -- therapy","Child."]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1345"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of physical therapy using Cascade orthotics and an exercise program for children with hypotonia and flatfeet. Subjects: Thirty-seven children, aged 18 months to 5 years, who demonstrated developmental delays and hypotonia with flatfoot dysfunction, participated in this study. Methods: Three groups (control, orthotic, and orthotic-exercise) were studied. The orthotic- exercise group practiced bilateral heel lifts besides wearing the orthoses. An arch index was used to assess the width of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) pre/post interventions. Gait parameters (velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence) were assessed four times in a six-month period using the GAITRite™ system. Results: Significant differences pre/post testing (P<.05) were found in the arch index for the orthotic group and positive trends were observed for the orthotic-exercise group. Velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence changes were also significant for the three groups over time. Conclusions: Interventions benefit children with hypotonia and flat feet. Future studies might consider a longer duration and larger sample size.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effectiveness of a Physical Therapy Intervention for Children with Hypotonia and Flatfeet"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Bonnie Forrester","Everett Lohman III","Grenith Zimmerman","Fernando Villar"],"dc:creator":["Ross, Charmayne G."],"dc:description.abstract":["Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of physical therapy using Cascade orthotics and an exercise program for children with hypotonia and flatfeet. Subjects: Thirty-seven children, aged 18 months to 5 years, who demonstrated developmental delays and hypotonia with flatfoot dysfunction, participated in this study. Methods: Three groups (control, orthotic, and orthotic-exercise) were studied. The orthotic- exercise group practiced bilateral heel lifts besides wearing the orthoses. An arch index was used to assess the width of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) pre/post interventions. Gait parameters (velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence) were assessed four times in a six-month period using the GAITRite™ system. Results: Significant differences pre/post testing (P<.05) were found in the arch index for the orthotic group and positive trends were observed for the orthotic-exercise group. Velocity, step-length, single-limb support, and cadence changes were also significant for the three groups over time. Conclusions: Interventions benefit children with hypotonia and flat feet. Future studies might consider a longer duration and larger sample size.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1345"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Physical Therapy","Muscle Hypotonia -- therapy","Flatfoot -- therapy","Child."],"dc:title":["The Effectiveness of a Physical Therapy Intervention for Children with Hypotonia and Flatfeet"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Physical Therapy Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:37Z"}