PMC6700382_01
Flow diagram based on consort guidelines to show the experimental design.
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PMC6700382_01_fped-07-00333-g0001.jpg
F1
The computerized minimization algorithm was balanced for gender, age and GMFCS score which lead to an unequal number of participants allocated to the two groups (Figure 1).
(A) Experimental set-up, showing leg placement in the dynamometer combined with ultrasound placement over the medial gastrocnemius muscle-tendon-junction (MTJ). (B) Ultrasound image of the medial gastrocnemius with the defined range of interest needed to track fascicle length (red), the upper (yellow), and lower (blue) aponeurosis; see online version for color. (C) Ultrasound image showing medial gastrocnemius MTJ displacement during muscle contraction.
fped-07-00333-g0002.jpg
PMC6700382_01_fped-07-00333-g0002.jpg
F2
The axis of rotation of the dynamometer was aligned with the lateral malleolus during passive movement (Figure 2A). Fascicle length was calculated by extrapolating the fascicle to the intersection point with the aponeuroses (Figure 2B). Tendon elongation was measured with ultrasound as the displacement of the medial gastrocnemius MTJ during the MVC trials (Figure 2C).