title: Constraint-induced movement therapy for children with hemiplegia after traumatic brain injury:  a quantitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study are to quantify the movement limitation of upper limbs in hemiplegic children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) by using a clinical-functional scale and upper limb kinematics and to evaluate the effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) on upper limbs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre-post study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical rehabilitation research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten children with TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants were evaluated by clinical examinations (Gross Motor Function Measure, Besta scale, Quality of Upper Extremities Skills Test, and Manual Ability Classification System) and 3D kinematic movement analysis of the upper limb before the CIMT program (pretest: 0.7 years after the injury) and at the end of the program (posttest: 10 weeks later).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the CIMT, most of the clinical measures improved significantly. Some significant improvements were present in terms of kinematics, in particular, in the movement duration and the velocity of movement execution of both tasks; the index of curvature and the average jerk improved, respectively, during reaching and hand-to-mouth task, while the adjusting sway parameter decreased during the 2 movements. Significant improvements were found in upper limb joint excursion after the rehabilitative programme too.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the CIMT program can improve movement efficiency and upper limb function in children after TBI. The integration of the clinical outcomes and upper limb kinematics revealed to be crucial in detecting the effects of the CIMT programme.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy. veronica.cimolin@biomed.polimi.it
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cimolin
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beretta
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piccinini
authors.forename: Anna Carla
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Turconi
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strazzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007558:Italy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D015915:Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive / Q000379:methods*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012016:Reference Values; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology