UNF lab looking for children with cerebral palsy for power mobility studies

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A UNF biomechanics lab is searching for children with cerebral palsy for power mobility clinical trials.

Families selected for the studies will visit UNF three times over six months for one-hour sessions, with children participating in walking and balance tests.

Each child will then receive a stand-on, ride-on toy car retrofitted specifically for them to use at home.

The clinical trials are looking at the impact of stand-on power mobility on children’s physical health.

Officials said many children with cerebral palsy have limited postural control and walking capabilities. The study aims to use the devices to improve children’s balance and lower extremity strength.

The studies are led by Dr. Guilherme (Gui) M. Cesar, UNF physical therapy assistant professor and rehabilitation researcher who has used his biomechanics background to work with distinct populations spanning from skillful athletes to children with neurological disabilities, and Dr. Juan Aceros, UNF engineering associate professor and expert in the fabrication of biomedical devices and assistive technologies. Biomechanical research at the UNF LABE began in 2022 and has been published in nearly a dozen research articles over the last two years.

“We are grateful for the funding from NIH and Foundation for Physical Therapy Research that allows us to conduct this important, meaningful research,” Cesar said. “It’s so powerful to see the difference we can make in these children’s lives.”

Click here to enroll and learn more about the study.