Article

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of reaching in different directions on postural
adjustment in children with diplegic cerebral palsy (CP),
and to examine the
relationship between hand reach performance and postural adjustment, and between
postural control ability and postural adjustment. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
SETTING: A movement science laboratory at a medical university. PARTICIPANTS:
Children with CP (n=12) and typically developing (TD) children (n=16).
INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Two force platforms were
used to measure the ground reaction force (GRF) and center of pressure (COP)
data. Absolute peak COP velocity, COP sway ratio (SR), and mean GRF in the
anterior posterior direction during the acceleration and deceleration segments of
a reaching task were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Children with CP showed
a greater absolute peak COP velocity in the medial lateral direction, a smaller
SR (wider COP pattern), and greater amplitude of force modulation (exaggerated
postural adjustments) than TD children in lateral or medial reaches. There was a
moderate correlation between SR and total Pediatric Reach Test score. The chair
SR was also negatively correlated with the hand movement units. CONCLUSIONS:
Children with CP showed wider, more crooked, and less efficient COP patterns than
TD children, especially on medial or lateral reaches. Reaching medially or
laterally involves trunk rotation, which produces more postural challenges than
reaching anteriorly to children with CP. The patterns of postural adjustments in
children with CP were correlated with their postural control ability and hand-reach smoothness.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS