Selective Motor Control and Upper Extremity Functions in Children With Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy

Correlation Between Selective Motor Control and Upper Extremity Functions in Children With Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy

Identification of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular factors that affect the integrity and functional performance in children with cerebral palsy is very essential as it enables multidisciplinary rehabilitation team to design the proper intervention to improve functional performance and independence for those children.

Limited literature is available regarding the relation between selective voluntary motor control and motor functions in children with cerebral palsy. Up to our knowledge this is the first study intending to investigate the influence of selective voluntary motor control on upper extremity function in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Therefore, the current study will be conducted to investigate the correlation between selective voluntary motor control and upper extremity functions in children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy.

It is hypothesized that:-

1. There is no relation between SVMC and upper limb function in children with spastic hemiparetic CP.
2. There is no relation between upper extremity SVMC and hand grip strength in children with spastic hemiparetic CP.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ranges from 4 to 8 years.
• Both genders.
• Diagnosis of spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy.
• Level I-IV on Manual Ability Classification System.
• Spasticity grade 1 to 2 on Modified Ashworth Scale.
• Level I-III on Gross Motor Classification System .

Exclusion Criteria:

• Significant mental or psychological problems.
• Significant visual/auditory problem.
• Botox injection and/or surgery of the upper limb in the past 12 months.
• Fixed deformities in the affected upper extremity.