Upper extremity muscle activation in children with unilateral cerebral palsy during an auditory cued repetitive task: Effects on bimanual coordination

Issue title: Pediatric Constraint Induced Movement Therapy: Harnessing Adaptive Neuroplasticity

Guest editors: Frank S. Pidcock

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Charles, Jeanne

Affiliations: Physical Therapy Department, University of New England, Portland, ME 04103, USA. Tel.: +1 207 221 4596; Fax: +1 207 523 1910; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: PURPOSE: The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate mirror muscle activation in the upper limbs of children with unilateral cerebral palsy during an auditory-cued repetitive squeezing task and to compare upper limb muscle activation patterns to typically developing peers engaged in the same task. METHODS: A convenience sample of six children with unilateral cerebral palsy and six typically developing peers (7-17 y) participated in the study. Muscle activity was measured using a 16 channel Zerowire EMG system (Noraxon, USA Inc. Scottsdale, AZ) in the anterior deltoid, biceps brachii, extensor carpi radialis, flexor carpi radialis, and lateral triceps muscles bilaterally as children squeezed a pediatric bulb dynamometer to 3 pounds per square inch (PSI) for a one second duration, 10 times in one minute. Squeezing activity was cued by a computer generated auditory beep. Between hand differences in muscle onset times and onset amplitude for each muscle were determined using paired t-tests. Two group by two hand ANOVA measured between group differences. RESULTS: Results supported increased later muscle onset and lack of significant differences in onset amplitude bilaterally when the dominant hand was working in the CP population. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in motor control mechanisms of muscle activation between populations.

Keywords: Unilateral cerebral palsy, bimanual coordination, motor control, EMG

DOI: 10.3233/PRM-170407

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 19-26, 2017