The influence of object size on discrete bimanual co-ordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of perturbation of object size on the nature and extent of interlimb coupling in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.


METHODS
Participants completed a number of trials reaching and grasping unimanually and bimanually to a small cube (1.5 cm) and a large cube (6 cm). Both 3D kinematic data and video data were gathered and qualitative descriptions of the video data were made.


RESULTS
It was found that object size did influence the nature and extent of bimanual coupling. As in previous studies this varied from participant to participant and either or a combination of temporal, spatial, or postural coupling was observed. In some cases the hemiplegic hand was influenced by the non hemiplegic hand, while in others it was the reverse.


CONCLUSIONS
The influence of context and the individual nature of children with cerebral palsy observed in this paper must be considered by those in rehabilitation. Additionally, the therapist might be able to use the natural tendency to couple to assist the functional control of the hemiplegic side.
Utley
A
A
School of Sports and Exercise Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Steenbergen
B
B
Sugden
D A
DA
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*