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.
Andjay Nesterenko, 7, was one of the children who received a dinosaur-themed electric car.
Officials said many children with cerebral palsy like Andjay have limited postural control and walking capabilities.
The studies are led by Dr. Guilherme (Gui) M. Cesar, a 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 neurologic disabilities, and Dr. Juan Aceros, a UNF engineering associate professor and expert in the fabrication of biomedical devices and assistive technologies.
“If he’s already able to stand up, the harness will help him stand up in a way, that the toy car only moves when he’s standing,” Cesar said. “So now he’s loading his legs differently to make it a stronger leg, or to control the balance.”
The study aims to use the devices to improve children’s balance and lower extremity strength.
“This is what we’re trying to understand with our work, how much playing throughout the day as they’re standing will impact how the muscles are active, so they can become more functional, more independent as they’re trying to move and just trying to maintain their balance,” Cesar said.
Biomechanical research at the UNF LABE began in 2022 and has been published in nearly a dozen research articles over the last two years.
Click here to enroll and learn more about the study.