Associate professor The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Research Objectives: To compare the difference in motor coordination during a reach-to-manipulation task between in-flight and non-inflight adjustment conditions in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).
Design: This is a cross-sectional study. Participants were instructed to complete a reach-to-manipulate task (reaching for and grasping a pencil, then turning over the pencil from one end to the other end twice using the thumb, index finger, and middle finger) under two conditions (with and without in-flight adjustment in reaching for the different pencils).
Setting: The study was conducted in the school laboratory. An 8-camera motion analysis system (VICON NEXUS) was used to record joint displacements during the task. 32 reflective markers were placed on the dorsal side of the right hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder and trunk.
Participants: 10 children with DCD were recuited for this study.
Interventions: Not applicable
Main Outcome Measures: Motor coordination during movement was assessed using the Multi-Joint Coordination Measure. The overall score of atypical coordination was calculated and the atypical coordination at every 1% of movement in each joint degree of freedom were ploted
Results: Children with DCD were found to have significantly higher atypical coordination scores in all phases of movement (i.e., reaching, grasping, and manipulation) in the in-flight adjustment condition. Atypical coordination was found in the shoulder abduction/adduction and shoulder internal/external rotation in the second half of reaching, and in index finger and middle finger metacarpophalangeal flexion/extension at the near end of grasping. In terms of manipulation, all joints in the hand appeared to be abnormal except for the index/middle finger abduction/adduction.
Conclusions: Joint degrees of freedom with atypical coordination during in-flight adjustment of a reach-to-manipulation task were revealed in children with DCD. This finding allows for a more in-depth examination of the movement characteristics of children with DCD, which may benefit the development of more evidence-based rehabilitation. Further research with a larger sample size is recommended.
Author(s) Disclosures: All authors declare that there are no conflicts or lack thereof
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participant will be able to identify the aytipal coordination during the in-flight adjustment of reach-to-manipulation in children with developmental coordination disorder.
Upon completion, participant will be able to know a quantitative measure of motor coordination.
Upon completion, participant will be able to gain some inspiration for the rehabilitation of motor impairments in children with developmental coordination disorder.
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