Which statement best describes crest mounting for a patient with cerebral palsy and high lower-extremity tone?

• A. It would increase hip abduction.
• B. It would prevent hip flexion.
• C. It has no effect on tone.
• D. It allows hip flexion to facilitate mounting, reducing tone.

Answer: (D)

When working with cerebral palsy and high lower-extremity tone, how you position the body during mounting can change how stiff the legs feel. Crest mounting is used specifically to place the hips into flexion as the rider mounts. This flexed starting position helps modulate spasticity and makes the transfer onto the horse smoother and safer. Flexion tends to reduce resistance from hypertonic hip flexors and adductors, partly through reciprocal inhibition, so mounting is easier and requires less force from the therapist or patient. It also avoids forcing the legs into extended or abducted positions that can provoke a spike in tone.

So this option is best because it directly facilitates hip flexion during mounting, which helps reduce tone and enables a more controlled transfer. The other statements don’t fit the goal: emphasizing abduction, insisting on preventing flexion, or claiming no effect on tone don’t align with how body positioning can modulate spasticity during the mounting process.