Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Helps with Motor Planning and Head Control

Do you work with children who have unilateral cerebral palsy? If so, you are familiar with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT). A recent study was published in the Journal of Pediatric Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics that quantified the changes in joint movement control and motor planning of the more-affected upper extremity during a reach-grasp-eat task in children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy.Do you work with children who have unilateral cerebral palsy? If so, you are familiar with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT). A recent study was published in the Journal of Pediatric Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics that quantified the changes in joint movement control and motor planning of the more-affected upper extremity during a reach-grasp-eat task in children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy.

Methodology of the Study Comparing Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy with Hand-Arm Bimanual Therapy

The study participants included 20 children with unilateral cerebral palsy average age of 7.7 years old.  Each child was randomly was assigned to received either constraint-induced movement therapy or HABIT.  Both groups of children participated in the intensive training for 6 hours a day for 15 days.

To quantify the results, the children performed a reach-grasp-eat task before and after training with their more-affected hand using 3D kinematic analysis.

Results of the Study Comparing Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and HABIT

Following data analysis, the results indicated the following:

  • both the CIMT and the HABIT groups displayed shorter movement time during reaching, grasping, and eating phases after training.
  • both the CIMT and HABIT training groups exhibited improved joint control with decreased trunk involvement, greater elbow, and wrist excursions during the reaching phase, and greater elbow excursion during the eating phase.
  • only the CIMT group decreased hand curvature during reaching, lowered hand position at grasp, and decreased head rotation during the eating phase.

Conclusion

The researchers concluded that both CIMT and HABIT improved upper extremity joint control.

The motor planning of the more-affected upper extremity and head control showed greater improvements in the children who participated in the constraint-induced movement therapy.

Reference: Hung, Y. C., Spingarn, A., Friel, K. M., & Gordon, A. M. (2020). Intensive Unimanual Training Leads to Better Reaching and Head Control than Bimanual Training in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics, 1-15.

Resources to Help Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

Therapeutic Play Activities for Children digital download includes 100 play activity pages and 12 tip sheets.  The play activities encourage the development of fine motor skills, bimanual skills, rolling, crawling, tall kneeling, standing balance and cruising with a strong focus on children with cerebral palsy.

Teaching Motor Skills to Children with Cerebral Palsy and Other Movement Disorders is a must have reference for all therapists who work with children with cerebral palsy.   Whether you are a beginner or experienced therapist you will find the information concise, informative and very helpful to carry out everyday functional tasks including stretching with children with cerebral palsy. The book provides activity suggestions throughout the developmental sequence such as head control, tummy time, sitting, transitions, walking and beyond. 

Read More Research on Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

HAND MOTOR FUNCTION IN UNILATERAL CEREBRAL PALSY – BENEFITS OF PEER INTERACTION

LESS AFFECTED HAND IN UNILATERAL CEREBRAL PALSY

MOTOR LEARNING IN CHILDREN WITH UNILATERAL CEREBRAL PALSY

Do you work with children who have unilateral cerebral palsy? If so, you are familiar with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT). A recent study was published in the Journal of Pediatric Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics that quantified the changes in joint movement control and motor planning of the more-affected upper extremity during a reach-grasp-eat task in children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy.

 

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