A prospective study of inhibitive casting as an adjunct to physiotherapy for cerebral-palsied children.

The effect of a three-week course of inhibitive casting and neurodevelopmental therapy on the static muscle tonus, developmental skills, passive range of ankle dorsiflexion and gait pattern was determined in 32 cerebral-palsied children. Two weeks after treatment, passive range of ankle dorsiflexion and foot-floor contact in walking had improved significantly but there was no significant change in the static muscle tone or developmental skills. After five months the improvements in ankle dorsiflexion and walking pattern were no longer evident. Further objective studies to determine the effect of 'inhibitive casting' are necessary before the modality is used indiscriminately.