The Short-Term Effects of Combined Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and Botulinum Toxin Injection for Children with Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) following a botulinum type A toxin (BoNT-A) injection enhances the effects of the BoNT-A injection into the spastic upper limb of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: A combined therapy with mCIMT and BoNT-A was given to 17 children in group A. Fifteen children in group B received only the BoNT-A injection. The muscle tone, the movement pattern, and the How Often and the How Well scales in the revised Pediatric Motor Activity Log (revised PMAL) were assessed before and 3 weeks after intervention. Results: Three participants in group A dropped out due to poor tolerance of mCIMT. There were significant improvements in the muscle tone and the movement patterns for both groups (p < 0.05), and the changes were not significantly different between the two groups. The How Often and the How Well scales in the revised PMAL were significantly improved in group A (p < 0.05), but not in group B. Conclusion: A combined therapy of mCIMT and BoNT-A seems to be helpful to enhance the effects of the BoNT-A injection in the functional use of the affected limb in children with hemiplegic CP.