Effects of an underwear-type hip abduction orthosis on sitting balance and sit-to-stand activities in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Only eight children were included, so the results could easily reflect chance or individual variation. The paper did not name a primary outcome, so it is unclear which result was intended to answer the study's main question. The children used parallel bars for the sit-to-stand test because they had difficulty standing without upper-limb support, so the result may not reflect unsupported sit-to-stand. The static sitting balance item required sitting cross-legged for 10 seconds, which the orthosis may make harder; this may not capture the orthosis effect on sitting balance. The study did not clarify the long-term relationship between hip dislocation, joint contractures, and daily movement, so it does not show whether the orthosis prevents these problems. The supplied text does not report blinding or dropout handling, so the practical certainty of the findings is limited.

The underwear-type hip abduction orthosis (Cosa Active) was provided by Otto Bock Japan K.K. at no cost. No funding source is reported in the supplied text.

Do not conclude that the orthosis improves overall sitting balance. The total trunk impairment scale score was not significantly different, and static sitting balance was lower while wearing. With only eight children, these mixed results are not enough to guide routine use.