To Study the Effects of Modified Constraint Induced Movement Therapy versus Constraint Induced Movement Therapy for Young Children with Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy-A Comparative Study

Abstract

Objectives of the study are to find out whether restraining of the uninvolved limb and use of hand techniques will help to overcome hand function and improve functional activity in spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Methodology adopted is to use convenient sampling of thirty subjects divided into two groups A and B of fifteen each. Group A - Control group and Group B-Experimental group (15 patients in each group). Group A is treated with Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT), with restrain of un-involved arm for 90% of waking hours per day and the involved arm is given group programs including hand exercise, passive stretching, shaping and repetitive task practice for 6 hrs. per day. Group B is treated with Modified Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (MCIMT), with restrain of un-involved arm for 1 hr per day and the involved arm is given group programs including hand exercise, passive stretching and playing activities for 1 h per day. Each subject is assessed according to assessment scale. Baseline data are collected and support of assistant is made available to check the performance and to correct the child during group therapy. It has been recorded from the study that use of CIMT and MCIMT produces significant improvement in hand function for young children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. It can be seen that use of CIMT is more beneficial than MCIMT in patients with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. It has been recorded from the study that use of CIMT and MCIMT produces significant improvement in hand function for young children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. It can be seen that use of CIMT and MCIMT in patients with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy is beneficial. This can be used to enhance the functional outcome of these patients. So, CIMT is more beneficial than MCIMT in young children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

Keywords: Spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy, motor activity log scale, quality of upper extremity skills test (QUEST), modified ashworth scale, CIMT, MCIMT