title: Kinematic assessment of the upper extremity in brachial plexus birth palsy.
abstract: Children with brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) may have shoulder external rotation and abduction weakness that can restrict activities of daily living (ADLs). Static range of motion measurements may not measure ADL restrictions. Motion analysis has been used to quantify gait limitations and measure changes associated with treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether upper extremity motion analysis (UEMA) can measure the differences in shoulder motion during ADLs between children with BPBP and normal children. Following a previously described UEMA protocol, 55 children with BPBP and 51 normal children (control group) were studied. Kinematic data of selected ADLs were collected before surgery. UEMA was used to measure statistically significant differences between children with BPBP and control subjects for all planes of shoulder motion in all activities tested. The authors conclude that UEMA can discriminate between children with BPBP and control subjects during selected ADLs, and suggest that UEMA can also be used to measure the effects of surgical interventions in children with BPBP.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Davis, California 95817, USA.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mosqueda
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Kyria
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petuskey
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagley
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abdala
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rab
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000379:methods*; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000150:complications; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004550:Elbow / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D009038:Motion; D009333:Neck / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012782:Shoulder / Q000503:physiopathology