Article

Objective: To define upper-limb movement deficits in children with hemiplegia using 3-dimensional (3-D) kinematic analysis of functional tasks. Design: Cohort study. Setting: University gait laboratory. Participants: Ten children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (mean age, 13.3y; range, 10-17y) and 10 control children (mean age, 9.8y; range, 6-12y). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure: 3-D upper-limb movement analysis. Results: 3-D kinematics detected clinically significant between-group differences. Children with hemiplegia were significantly slower than control children in time taken to complete tasks (P<.05) and achieved slower movement velocities (P<.05). Group differences in range of motion (ROM) occurred in all 3 tasks examined (hand to mouth, hand to head, reach). Children with hemiplegia had significantly less supination (P<.03) and shoulder flexion (P<.03) and increased compensatory trunk flexion (P<.01) compared with control data (hand-to-mouth task). The reach task highlighted restriction of elbow extension in children with hemiplegia (minimum elbow extension: hemiplegia, 24 +/- 18 degrees; control, 3 +/- 7 degrees). Completing tasks bilaterally did not alter performance of the tasks in children with hemiplegia. Conclusions: 3-D kinematics detected deficits in timing, ROM, and proximal compensatory strategies during upper-limb functional task performance in children with hemiplegia.

Langue : ANGLAIS