Breakthrough in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy Care: Automatic Hip Stability Tool
Researchers from the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool, in collaboration with Manchester Imaging Ltd, have unveiled an automatic tool designed to help prevent hip dislocation in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). The project, backed by a £1.2 million grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), aims to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve early detection and guide clinical interventions that maintain hip stability in young patients.
Why Hip Dislocation Matters for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common motor disorders affecting children, often accompanied by hip instability. Dislocations can lead to pain, reduced mobility, and the need for complex surgeries later in life. Early, proactive management is crucial to preserving function and quality of life. The new tool targets these outcomes by providing clinicians with precise, data-driven insights into hip joint dynamics in real time.
The AI-Driven Approach
The research team is combining advanced imaging data with machine learning algorithms to monitor hip alignment and predict potential dislocations before they occur. The system is designed to integrate into routine pediatric assessments, offering automatic analysis of imaging scans and movement patterns. By translating complex data into actionable guidance, clinicians can tailor interventions—such as physical therapy plans, orthotic adjustments, or timing of surgical considerations—more accurately and earlier in a child’s development.
What the NIHR Grant Supports
The £1.2 million NIHR grant underscores the project’s potential to transform standard care for CP patients. Funding will support clinical trials, data collection across multiple centers, and the continued refinement of the AI tool to ensure safety, reliability, and user-friendliness in busy pediatric clinics. Importantly, the research emphasizes patient and caregiver involvement to ensure the tool meets real-world needs and preferences.
Collaborative Effort Across Institutions
Manchester and Liverpool researchers bring together expertise in pediatrics, radiology, biomechanics, and AI development. Manchester Imaging Ltd contributes its specialization in AI medical devices, helping translate research-grade insights into practical clinical software. The collaboration aims to create a scalable, implementable solution that can be adopted across hospitals and clinics, reducing disparities in CP care.
What This Could Mean for Families
For families affected by CP, the tool offers the prospect of more proactive management of hip health. Early detection and personalized intervention plans can mean better mobility, less pain, and fewer invasive procedures as children grow. While the technology is being validated, clinicians emphasize that the system will augment—not replace—clinical judgment, ensuring that human expertise remains central to decision-making.
Looking Ahead
Initial studies will focus on validating the accuracy of the tool’s predictions and its ease of use in real-world clinical settings. As the dataset expands, the developers anticipate refinements that enhance the robustness of hip stability assessments across different CP presentations. If successful, this AI-driven approach could pave the way for similar predictive tools in other cerebral palsy-related complications.
About the Partners
The Universities of Manchester and Liverpool are renowned for their pediatric and imaging research, while Manchester Imaging Ltd translates scholarly work into practical AI medical-device solutions. The consortium’s shared goal is to arm clinicians with reliable, timely insights that support better long-term outcomes for children living with CP.
