Serial casting for the management of ankle contracture in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of serial casting in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. METHODS: Chart review of 9 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, mean age 8.9 (±2.1) years. RESULTS: Initial dorsiflexion -6.2° and -5.2° right and left, respectively. The mean improvement was 12° and 11.6° on the right and left (knee extended) and 7.7° and 8.7° on the right and left (knee flexed) or 2.7° and 3.9° per cast, respectively. Times to run 10 m, climb 4 steps, and get off the floor were unchanged. Correlations between range-of-motion change/cast and age were r = -0.86 right and r = -0.84 left. Three patients had delayed onset foot pain; one child had redness with symptom resolution in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in range of motion with the application of serial casting was found with no loss of function or speed despite the period of immobilization.