Abstract:[Objective] To evaluate the efficacy of selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR) in improving lower limb gait and joint kinematics of cerebral palsy in children by a meta-analysis. [Methods] Literature retrieval was carried out in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Co- chrane Library, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP electronic databases to search the controlled studies on SPR for cerebral palsy. At least 2 re- searchers independently screened the literature and extracted data. The quality of the included RCTs was assessed by using the Cochrane 5.1.0, a bias risk assessment tool, and then the methodological quality of nRCTs by using MINORS. Finally, the meta-analysis was conduct- ed by Revman 5.3 software. [Results] A total of 4 115 articles were retrieved, including 1 829 in English and 2 284 in Chinese. A total of 219 patients with cerebral palsy were included in the meta-analysis after screening, including 112 in the SPR group and 107 in the nonSPR group. As results of meta-analysis, the SPR improved gait (step length) and joint kinematics, involving knee extension, ankle dorsiflex- ion, ankle plantar flexion, foot forward angle, which proved significantly better than those of the non-SPR group (P<0.05) . However, there were no significant differences in step frequency, step speed, hip flexion and extension, hip extension, knee flexion and extension, knee swing, pelvic inclination and pelvic rotation angle between SPR group and non-SPR group (P>0.05) . [Conclusion] The SPR does improve gait quality and kinematics parameters of knee and ankle in children with cerebral palsy, which is more obviously in the distal joint of the lower limb.