The relationship between trunk control and upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND: Trunk control ability greatly influences functional movement of the upper limbs. PURPOSE: Our primary aims were to assess trunk control ability, sway, and upper limb functions in children with cerebral palsy (CP), and to investigate the relationship between trunk control ability and upper limb function. METHODS: We included 15 children (8 boys and 7 girls) with CP. We used the Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS) to evaluate trunk control ability and sway. We employed the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), the Box and Blocks Test (BBT), and the ABILHAND-Kids questionnaire to explore upper limb function and arm movement acceleration. We calculated correlations between trunk control ability and parameters of upper limb function. RESULTS: TCMS scores correlated positively with the QUEST, BBT, and ABILHAND-Kids data, but negatively with the JTHFT findings. Anteroposterior acceleration correlated positively with JTHFT data, but negatively with QUEST, BBT, and ABILHAND-Kids data. Mediolateral acceleration correlated positively with the JTHFT outcomes, but negatively with those of QUEST, BBT, and ABILHAND-Kids. CONCLUSIONS: Upper limb function test data exhibited moderate to strong correlations with trunk control ability, as measured via the TCMS and triaxial accelerometry, in children with CP. Our results suggest that trunk control ability should be assessed when evaluating upper limb function in such children.