Reliability of Photographic Posture Analysis in Children With Cerebral Palsy and Its Relationship With Trunk Control and Motor Functions

Sitting position is of great importance in the development of upper extremity functions, orthogonal functional skills, personal care, cognitive, perceptual and social skills in children with cerebral palsy and these kids spend most of their time in a sitting position.There are goniometer, inclinometer, flexicurve, spinal mouse, and modified head posture spinal curvature ınstrument tools for posture analysis in the sitting position.However, none of these measurement tools have been validated for validity and reliability studies of head and trunk posture measurement in the sitting position in children with CP. Methods such as magnetic resonance (MR) and x-ray used in posture evaluation provide clear images of reference points and are the gold standard in the literature. However, they are not preferred much because they are expensive and contain radiation.Photographic posture analysis can be considered as a measurement method such as posture analysis methods using the gravity line. It is a digital, more objective measurement method that measures linear distances and angles using anatomical reference points using specially designed software. Clinical use of photographic posture analysis is recommended in the literature, as it is an accurate and objective method, preventing radiation exposure.The purpose of this study; to evaluate the reliability of photographic posture analysis in the sitting position in children with CP and to examine the relationship between the results of photographic posture analysis with the motor performances and trunk control of children with CP.