In a recent issue of Disability and Rehabilitation there was research published on an intervention using modified constraint induced movement therapy (mCIMT) wtih 12 preschool children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The intervention consisted of mCIMT for 5 consecutive days at 6 hours per day. Following the experiment, the data was analyzed revealing a significant decrease in base of support and improvements were noted in most other temporal spatial aspects of gait. The researchers recommend additional studies on the long term effects of mCIMT for the lower extremity deficits.
Reference: Patricia Coker, Tasos Karakostas, Cindy Dodds, Simon Hsiang Gait characteristics of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy before and after modified constraint-induced movement therapy Disability & Rehabilitation 2010, Vol. 32, No. 5, Pages 402-408
3 comments:
Despite a low n the number of hours of intervention support the idea of 'intensive' for having effects. This would be an interesting study to read to learn the exact modification. Most CIT is done with UE and involves casting the less-involved limb. Barbara
I, too, was curious as to why there are not more studies on constraint induced movement therapy on the lower extremities.
I don't question 'why', Margaret - always assumed that the common development of functional gait with the uncommon development of functional hand use was the reason. Looks like the effort in this study was toward improving quality of gait. Worthy of effort but causes me to think again that dosage had more to with the results than technique.
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