The influence of the flexibility of the chair seat on pressure peak and distribution of the contact area in individuals with cerebral palsy during the execution of a task.
This study aimed to determine the influence of flexibility of the chair seat surface on the pressure peak and on the contact area during the execution of a task of handling an object on the seated position by individuals with spastic cerebral palsy. Ten individuals of both genders with diagnosis of spastic cerebral palsy, who had some control to voluntarily move the body and the upper limbs, participated in this study. Quantification of data was carried out in two experimental situations: (1) execution of a task of fitting with upper limbs, and with the individual placed on an adapted canvas seat; (2) execution of a task of fitting with the participant positioned on an adapted wooden seat. Data obtained were submitted to a non-parametric and descriptive statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test. Results indicated that the use of canvas seat increased the contact area and decreased the pressure peak and the medio-lateral displacement of centre pressure on the seated posture.
Univ Estadual Paulista, Marilia, Brazil. bracci@marilia.unesp.br
Lígia Maria Presumido
LM
Braccialli
Andréia Naomi
AN
Sankako
Ana Carla
AC
Braccialli
Franciane Teixeira
FT
Oliveira
Paulo Roberto Garcia
PR
Lucareli
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011312:Pressure; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014910:Wheelchairs; D055815:Young Adult