Investigating the clinical and cost effectiveness of lycra splinting.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the clinical and cost effectiveness of lycra splinting garments for people with learning disabilities and cerebral palsy, and with people with learning disabilities who fall.
IRAS ID
152219
Contact name
Jennifer Crockett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Glasgow Caledonian University
Research summary
People with learning disabilities (LDs) experience high levels of health problems, including cerebral palsy, other problems associated with posture, movement and function, and injury (falls are the commonest cause of injury in this population, and poor balance/coordination are a contributory factor). The aim of this project is to investigate the clinical and cost effectiveness of lycra splinting garments (LSGs), worn to improve posture, movement and function, for children/young adults (14 – 21 years) with LDs and cerebral palsy, and adults (16 years and over) with LDs who fall. Children with LDs and cerebral palsy are increasingly being provided with LSGs in paediatric services, although provision does vary across NHS boards, but research is extremely limited and there is a lack of evidence available to determine whether they should be provided within adult services, and continue to be provided for older children following transition to adult services. This project aims to address this by investigating their clinical and cost effectiveness to inform practice and guidelines within local and national NHS paediatric and adult services; and for the first time, investigate the use of LSGs to prevent future falls of adults with LDs. Falls and fall injury are a serious problem for people with LDs (people with LDs experience similar rates of falls as the elderly in the general population but at a younger age), whereby interventions are warranted. Lab-based 3D movement analysis will be conducted with 15 children/young adults with LDs and cerebral palsy wearing/not wearing their full body LSG to perform standard simple tasks (e.g. lying down) during one visit, and 15 adults with LDs who fall during two visits to perform simple tasks (e.g. walking) (once prior to being provided with LSG, and once 6 weeks after wearing the LSGs at home).
REC name
Scotland A: Adults with Incapacity only
REC reference
14/SS/1045
Date of REC Opinion
30 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion