At 13 years old, Jacob High should be leading the life of an active teenager. But due to his cerebral palsy, his typically active lifestyle is limited. Jacob has seen a noticeable improvement in his legs and in his movement since being treated through gait analysis. Jacob is being treated at Mayo Clinic by William Shaughnessy, M.D., a pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Shaughnessy has been using computerized techniques, which will be discussed at the Gait Conference, to measure how Jacob moves and to treat his hemiparesis, a result of the teen s cerebral palsy.
Treatment typically includes transitioning muscles and realigning bones of the legs.
He has made a tremendous amount of progress since the gait studies determined what was needed. Mayo Clinic is one of a very few medical centers that uses gait analysis as a treatment for cerebral palsy patients. The analysis of movement requires significant computer technology and specialized clinical expertise to interpret movement tests into clinical treatment plans. Jacob High and his mother, Mrs. Deborah High will be available for interviews.