The purpose of this article was to describe a child-friendly modified constraint-induced movement therapy protocol that is combined with goal-directed task-specific bimanual training (mCIMT-BiT). This detailed description elucidates the approach and supports various research reports. This protocol is used in a Pirate play group setting and aims to extend bimanual skills in play and self-care ac...

OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to evaluate the long term clinical and electrophysiological outcome by recording the H reflex in a consecutive series of six patients treated by selective tibial neurotomy for spastic equinus foot. METHOD The amplitudes of Hmax reflexes, Mmax responses, and Hmax:Mmax ratio were recorded in six patients with chronic lower limb spasticity, before and after su...

This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effects of a home-based, six-week strength-training programme on lower limb strength and physical activity of 21 young people (11 females, 10 males; mean age 13 years 1 month, SD 3 years 1 month; range 8 to 18 years) with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP) with independent ambulation, with or without gait aids; (Gross Motor Function Classification ...

The aim of this study was to determine whether an 8-week period of backward walking (BW) training on the treadmill can improve the gross motor function measure (GMFM), weight-bearing symmetry, and temporospatial gait parameters in individuals with spastic cerebral palsy. Twelve participants aged 5-15 years with spastic cerebral palsy participated in this study. The BW training was conducted on ...

Sensorimotor control dysfunction or dyskinesia is a hallmark of neuromuscular impairment in children with cerebral palsy (CP), and is often implicated in reaching and grasping deficiencies due to a neuromuscular imbalance between the triceps and biceps. To mitigate such muscle imbalances, an innovative electromyography (EMG)-virtual reality (VR) biofeedback system were designed to provide accur...

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess short-term effects of botulinum toxin A in ambulant adults with spastic cerebral palsy. DESIGN A single-centre double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. SUBJECTS Patients were recruited through advertisements. Inclusion criteria were: spastic cerebral palsy, age 18-65 years, decreased walking, walking without aids for minimum 20 m, and...

In the present study, we examined whether individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) systematically vary motion of the trunk and co-contraction in the upper limb as a function of accuracy demands. Four participants with spastic tetraparesis, four with spastic hemiparesis, and four healthy controls were asked to repeatedly move a spoon back-and-forth between two target locations. The task was external...

Sir, The hereditary spastic paraplegias constitute a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of disorders of which the main clinical feature is progressive lower limb spasticity due to pyramidal tract dysfunction. The cardinal signs result from a ‘dying back’ degeneration of the corticospinal tracts and dorsal column, predominantly due to disturbed axonal transport within the longest fib...

BACKGROUND Mutations in the gene STUB1, encoding the protein CHIP (C-terminus of HSC70-interacting protein), have recently been suggested as a cause of recessive ataxia based on the findings in few Chinese families. Here we aimed to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of STUB1 mutations, and to assess their frequency in different Caucasian disease cohorts. METHODS 300 subjects w...

Sir, The hereditary spastic paraplegias constitute a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of disorders of which the main clinical feature is progressive lower limb spasticity due to pyramidal tract dysfunction. The cardinal signs result from a ‘dying back’ degeneration of the corticospinal tracts and dorsal column, predominantly due to disturbed axonal transport within the longest fib...