Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026
Author Spotlight: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Movement Observation in Cerebral Palsy
Published on: August 9, 2024
iMOVE: Intensive Mobility training with Variability and Error compared to conventional rehabilitation for young
Laura A Prosser1,2, Samuel R Pierce3,4, Timothy R Dillingham5
1Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. ProsserL@email.chop.edu.
Insights
A new therapy called iMOVE may improve motor skills in young children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study compares iMOVE therapy to conventional methods to see if it enhances gross motor development and lifelong independence.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of childhood physical disability.
- Early motor development offers a critical window for neuroplasticity to maximize lifelong independence.
- Optimizing motor ability during this period requires effective interventions, which are still being explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the protocol for a clinical trial testing the efficacy of iMOVE therapy.
- To compare iMOVE therapy with conventional therapy for gross motor development in young children with CP.
- To evaluate secondary outcomes including postural control, physical activity, participation, and caregiver satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- Single-blind randomized controlled trial with 42 participants (1-3 years old) diagnosed with or suspected of having CP.
- Participants randomized to either iMOVE therapy or conventional therapy groups.
- Gross motor function measured throughout the 12-24 week intervention and at 1-year follow-up.
Main Results:
- Data collection ongoing; results not yet available as this manuscript describes the trial protocol.
- The trial aims to provide data on the effectiveness of iMOVE therapy.
Conclusions:
- This trial will contribute to the understanding of early interventions for motor control in young children with CP.
- Findings may inform clinical practices for early treatment strategies.
- Improved motor development trajectories and reduced lifelong disability are potential long-term benefits for individuals with CP.
Background:
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in children. The best opportunity to maximize lifelong independence is early in motor development when there is the most potential for neuroplastic change, but how best to optimize motor ability during this narrow window remains unknown. We have systematically developed and pilot-tested a novel intervention that incorporates overlapping principles of neurorehabilitation and infant motor learning in a context that promotes upright mobility skill and postural control development. The treatment, called iMOVE therapy, was designed to allow young children with CP to self-initiate motor learning experiences similar to their typically developing peers. This manuscript describes the protocol for a subsequent clinical trial to test the efficacy of iMOVE therapy compared to conventional therapy on gross motor development and other secondary outcomes in young children with CP.
Methods:
The study is a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Forty-two participants with CP or suspected CP between the ages of 1-3 years will be randomized to receive either the iMOVE or conventional therapy group. Distinguishing characteristics of each group are detailed. Repeated measures of gross motor function will be collected throughout the 12-24 week intervention phase and at three follow-up points over one year post therapy. Secondary outcomes include measures of postural control, physical activity, participation and caregiver satisfaction.
Discussion:
This clinical trial will add to a small, but growing, body of literature on early interventions to optimize the development of motor control in young children with CP. The information learned will inform clinical practice of early treatment strategies and may contribute to improving the trajectory of motor development and reducing lifelong physical disability in individuals with CP.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02340026 . Registered January 16, 2015.
More Related Videos
08:53Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
Published on: June 6, 2025
08:26Event-related Potentials During Target-response Tasks to Study Cognitive Processes of Upper Limb Use in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy
Published on: January 11, 2016
Related Concept Videos
01:04Random Error
01:09Random Variables
Uppercase letters such as X or Y denote a random variable. Lowercase letters like x or y denote the value of a random variable. If X is a random variable, then X is written in words, and x is given as a number.
For example, let X = the...
01:12Trial and Error and Algorithm
01:20Random and Systematic Errors
00:59Propagation of Uncertainty from Random Error
02:07Blind Procedures