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Children With Cerebral Palsy Show Higher Static-But Not Higher Dynamic-Motor Fatigability in Grip and Pinch Tasks
Lieke Brauers1,2, Rob Smeets2, Peter Feys1
1REVAL - Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.
Insights
Children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) exhibit greater static motor fatigability in grip and pinch tasks compared to typically developing peers. Dynamic motor fatigability differences were less consistent between groups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) affects motor control, impacting upper limb function.
- Understanding motor fatigability is crucial for assessing functional limitations in children with USCP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare static and dynamic motor fatigability in grip and pinch tasks between children with USCP and typically developing (TD) children.
- To examine differences between preferred and nonpreferred hands in both groups.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-three children with USCP and 53 TD children (mean age 11 years) performed 30-second maximal exertion grip and pinch tasks.
- Static and dynamic motor fatigability were assessed using measures like the Static Fatigue Index and force/peak ratios.
Main Results:
- Children with USCP showed higher static motor fatigability in grip and pinch for both hands compared to TD children.
- Dynamic motor fatigability results were inconsistent, with some measures showing higher fatigability in TD children for specific grip tasks.
Conclusions:
- Static motor fatigability is significantly higher in children with USCP compared to TD children.
- Distinct mechanisms may underlie static versus dynamic motor fatigability in USCP.
- Static motor fatigability assessment is recommended for upper limb evaluation and intervention planning in USCP.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in static and dynamic motor fatigability during grip and pinch tasks between children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) and children with typical development (TD) and between preferred and nonpreferred hands.
Methods:
Fifty-three children with USCP and 53 age-matched children with TD (mean = 11 years 1 month; SD = 3 years 8 months) participated in 30-second maximum exertion sustained and repeated grip and pinch tasks. For sustained tasks, the Static Fatigue Index and the ratio of mean force between the first and last thirds of the curve were calculated. For repeated tasks, the ratio of mean force and the ratio of numbers of peaks between the first and last thirds of the curve were calculated.
Results:
Higher Static Fatigue Index scores for grip and pinch were found with USCP in both hands and between hands in both groups. Dynamic motor fatigability showed inconsistent results, with higher levels of fatigability in children with TD than in children with USCP for grip in the ratio of mean force between the first and last thirds of the curve in nonpreferred hands and in the ratio of number of peaks between the first and last thirds of the curve in preferred hands.
Conclusion:
Higher motor fatigability in children with USCP than in children with TD was found for static but not dynamic grip and pinch. Underlying mechanisms may play different roles in static and dynamic motor fatigability.
Impact:
These results highlight that static motor fatigability in grip and pinch tasks should be part of a comprehensive upper limb assessment and that this could be the target of individualized interventions.
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