Significance of the strength of the quadriceps muscles in children with myelomeningocele.

A study of 109 patients with myelomeningocele indicates that useful assessment of quadriceps power can be made during the first 3 years of life. In 21 of 22 patients assessed in those years as having grade 4 quadriceps power, an increase in power was observed in ensuing years, but no such trend was observed in patients with less quadriceps power. Only four of 51 patients who were initially assessed as having quadriceps power of grade 5 showed deterioration in this muscle power over the ensuing years. Ambulatory ability was closely related to quadriceps muscle power.