Use of Surface Electromyography Biofeedback to Improve Reaching in Children With Cerebral Palsy

A newly-developed device for biofeedback of surface EMG will be used to either increase or decrease activity in the muscles of children with poor reaching due to cerebral palsy.

Children ages newborn to 21 with a diagnosis of arm weakness, hypertonia, or hyperkinesia due to cerebral palsy will be recruited. A muscle that is either over-active or under-active will be selected for each child. The child will be provided with the device to wear for 1 month in order to call attention to the identified muscle. At the beginning and end of the month, reaching will be assessed using three-dimensional kinematic motion capture. The outcome measure will be the speed and curvature of reaching to a target in front of the child.

Inclusion Criteria:

• weakness, hypertonia, or hyperkinetic disorder affecting one or both arms
• reduced speed or quality of reaching

Exclusion Criteria:

• any condition that would increase the risk of participation