Soft Tissue Release for Elbow Pronation in Cerebral Palsy

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Cerebral Palsy

In brief

Upper extremity deformities are highly common in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) as a result of motor control impairment and muscle imbalance. Among these deformities, elbow pronation deformities are frequently observed, particularly in spastic-type CP (Koman et al., 2004). The imbalance between the pronator muscle group (pronator teres, pronator quadratus) and the supinator muscle group (supinator, biceps brachii) leads to the forearm remaining in a persistent pronated position (Sahoo et al., 2017). This deformity is not only aesthetically concerning but also results in significant functional limitations. Both fine and gross motor skills-such as washing the face, handshaking, and clapping-are adversely affected (Soutar \& McComas, 1990). Additionally, children may experience difficulty using assistive devices such as walkers, which in turn can negatively impact ambulation (Flett, 2003). An elbow fixed in pronation forces children to compensate for limited range of motion by using shoulder and trunk movements, which over time predisposes them to abnormal postural development (Gracies, 2005). In advanced cases, structural alterations such as posterolateral radial head dislocations may also occur (Van Heest \& House, 2000). Both conservative (orthoses, botulinum toxin injections, physical therapy) and surgical interventions are employed in the treatment of pronation deformities. Surgical options include tenotomy of the pronator teres and pronator quadratus, muscle transfers, or combined procedures (Zancolli, 1975). However, there is no consensus in the literature regarding which surgical method should be applied to which patient group and at what stage (House et al., 1981). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of distal soft-tissue release surgery for the treatment of elbow pronation deformity on upper extremity function in children with cerebral palsy.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07601165

Run by

Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

People needed

28

Starts

2026-06-30

Expected to finish

2028-01-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-22

Who can join

Age: 6 and older, up to 16. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Being between 6 and 16 years of age,
• Having a diagnosis of spastic-type cerebral palsy,
• presenting with an elbow pronation deformity requiring surgical intervention,
• obtaining consent from the parent/guardian

You may not qualify if…

• History of previous upper-extremity surgery
• History of progressive neurological disease
• Cognitive or physical capacity insufficient to complete the assessment tools

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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