Whole body organization during a symmetric bimanual pick up task for children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND

Information on whole-body coordination involving bimanual coordination for children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) is limited.

RESEARCH QUESTION: The purpose of the current study is to test the hypothesis that during a whole-body pick up task, children with USCP will organize their whole- body movements and bimanual coordination differently than typically-developing children (TDC).

METHODS

Twelve children with USCP (average age: 8.3; MACS levels: I-II) and twelve age-matched TDC participated in the study. Children were asked to reach down, grasp, and pick up an empty box to waist height while Kinematic and Kinetic data were recorded and analyzed using a VICON system and two AMTI force plates.

RESULTS

Children with USCP had longer overall movement time, reaching down time, and grasping movement time (all P < 0.05) than TDC. Less bimanual coordination was indicated by greater finger vertical position differences and movement onset and offset timing differences (all P < 0.05). Additionally, greater bilateral joint position on differences were found for shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee when reaching down and for shoulder and elbow at the end of the task (all P < 0.05). Greater asymmetric bilateral ground reaction force and greater lateral and anterior center of pressure excursion were also found in children with USCP (all P < 0.05).

SIGNIFICANCE: Impairments in both bimanual and whole-body coordination were found during a simple whole-body task in children with USCP. Future treatments or assessments should consider whole-body tasks involving dual task constraints.