Effect of modified constraint induced movement therapy on weight bearing and protective extension in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy

Background: Constraint induced movement therapy is one of the new therapeutic interventions that limits the performance of intact upper limb with increased use of the affected limb. Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of modified constraint induced movement therapy on weight bearing & protective extension in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.Methods: 21 hemiplegic children were selected and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Common Practices of Occupational Therapy applied for 6 weeks in both groups equally and test group received constrain induced movement therapy for three hours every day. Weight-bearing and protective extension was measured based on quality of test skills of upper limbs (QUEST). Data analyzed using appropriated statistical methods. Results: 11 children in the experimental group (7 girls, 4 boys) with mean age 47.2 ± 55.5 months and 10 children in the control group (5 girls, 5 boys) with mean age 19.2 ± 10.5) months were studied. No significant difference observed before and after six weeks intervention between two groups (P>0.05). There was a significant change before and after six weeks intervention in both subscales (P<0.05).Conclusion: This study showed that modified constraint induced movement therapy may affect weight bearing, but has no effect on the protective extension.