Relative contribution of motor impairments to limitations in activity and restrictions in participation in adults with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine which motor impairments make a significant relative contribution to upper limb activity limitations, and whether activity limitations are related to participation restrictions in people with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.


METHODS
An observational study.


METHODS
Neurological Rehabilitation Research Group at Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney.


METHODS
Twenty-three people with hemiplegic cerebral palsy participated.


METHODS
Four motor impairments (strength, coordination, spasticity and contracture), upper limb activity and participation were measured. Multiple regression was used to determine the relative contribution of motor impairments to activity limitations. Linear regression was used to determine the correlation between activity and participation.


RESULTS
The four motor impairments accounted for 63% of the variance in upper limb activity with coordination independently accounting for 21% (P<0.01). Upper limb activity accounted for 13% of the variance in participation (P=0.10).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings imply that coordination of four motor impairments makes the largest independent relative contribution to activity limitations, whereas upper limb activity makes less contribution to participation in people with mild and moderate hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
Chiu
Hsiu-Ching
HC
Discipline of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Ada
Louise
L
Butler
Jane
J
Coulson
Susan
S
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009517:New South Wales; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult