Motor Learning Approaches From Working on a Vertical Surface in Hemiplegic Children's Upper Limb Motor Skills

Motor-learning approaches such as - constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) offer an array of sensorimotor experiences in a playful yet repetitive and intense fashion.

A stable shoulder girdle is the co-contraction of muscles around the scapula and shoulder joint.

Depending on the activity, vertical surfaces will have kids moving their arms frequently; reaching up, down, out and around. This supports extension of the arm and an opportunity to strengthen those muscles.

Vertical surfaces facilitate wrist extension. When the wrist is extended, the ring and pinky finger tend to naturally find their way into the palm creating a more optimal grasp pattern. A child is going to be able to execute more precise and legible work when using a functional tripod or quadrupod grasp.

Inclusion criteria

• Children diagnosed with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy
• Age 5 to 9 years
• Manual Ability Classification System (MACS)19 scores I, II.
• Children who can understand and cooperate with researcher's instructions
• Children with no visual or hearing impairment

Exclusion criteria

• Children with any surgical interference in the upper limb.
• Intellectual disability such that simple tasks could not be understood or executed.
• Inability to combine the study protocol with the regular school program