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Alterations in functional movement after axillary burn scar contracture: a motion analysis study
Tina L Palmieri1, Kyria Petuskey, Anita Bagley
1Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California, 2425 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 718, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
The Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation
|March 11, 2003
Summary
Children with axillary contractures experience significant shoulder movement limitations during daily activities. Early rehabilitation is crucial to prevent these functional deficits and improve shoulder mobility.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Pediatric Surgery
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Axillary burns in children frequently lead to scar contractures, significantly impairing shoulder joint mobility.
- Objective data quantifying functional movement deficits following axillary contracture formation is limited.
- Understanding these movement restrictions is vital for effective treatment and rehabilitation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively assess the impact of axillary contractures on shoulder, elbow, and trunk kinematics during activities of daily living (ADLs) in pediatric patients.
- To quantify functional movement alterations in children with axillary contractures compared to healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 11 children with axillary contractures undergoing surgical release.
- Three-dimensional (3D) upper extremity kinematic analysis was employed to capture detailed motion data.
- Movement patterns during high reach and hand to back pocket tasks were analyzed and compared to 49 age-matched controls.
Main Results:
- Children with axillary contractures demonstrated significantly reduced shoulder flexion, internal rotation, and trunk extension during high reach.
- Increased elbow flexion was observed during the high reach task.
- Shoulder extension and elbow flexion were decreased, while shoulder abduction increased during the hand to back pocket task.
Conclusions:
- Axillary contractures cause quantifiable, detrimental changes in shoulder and upper extremity function during ADLs.
- Three-dimensional motion analysis provides objective data to evaluate functional limitations and treatment efficacy in pediatric burn patients.
- Aggressive and timely rehabilitation is essential to prevent the development and progression of axillary contractures and their associated functional impairments.