Modified constraint-induced movement therapy versus intensive bimanual training for children with hemiplegia – a randomized controlled trial

Objective:To clarify whether modified constraint-induced movement therapy provides greater improvement than intensive bimanual training both for motor functions and spontaneous use of the paretic arm and hand in everyday life activities.Design:Randomized controlled, single-blind trial.Setting:Inpatient paediatric rehabilitation clinic.Subjects:Forty-seven children with unilateral cerebral palsy or other non-progressive hemiplegia (aged 3.3–11.4 years) were randomly assigned to either a modified constraint-induced movement programme (kid-CIMT) or intensive bimanual training.Interventions:Patients in the kid-CIMT group received 60 hours of unilateral constraint-induced and 20 hours of bimanual training over four weeks. Patients in the bimanual treatment group received 80 hours of bimanual training over four weeks.Main outcome measures:Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function and Assisting Hand Assessment.Results:Modified constraint-induced therapy provided a significantly better outcome for is...