Physiotherapy
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7190
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Item ASSESSING LOWER LIMB SOMATOSENSORY FUNCTION OF CHILDREN WITH UPPER MOTOR NEURON LESIONS(2024-12-11) Marsico, PetraThrough the somatosensory system, we receive information about the external and internal state of our body as the foundation of our feedback-control system for all motor activities. Therefore, somatosensory function is essential for motor control, and motor learning. Lower limb somatosensory function is particularly important for balance, gait and mobility. Different modalities of the somatosensory system can be impaired in children with Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) lesions. Therefore, we require child-friendly outcome measures to assess somatosensory function of the lower limbs that can be included in a toolbox for clinicians and researchers. Methods: An overview of the current state of knowledge was compiled on the basis of a systematic review. The systematic review analysed the psychometric properties of the available measures for assessing lower limb somatosensory function. Subsequently, an expert panel participated in a Delphi study to identify the most important modalities of lower limb somatosensory function in relation to motor outcomes. We developed standardised protocols to assess various somatosensory modalities and investigated validity, reliability, and feasibility in children with UMN lesions. We investigated the relationships between tactile function, body awareness, and motor outcomes. Finally, we developed a sensor-based tool to assess lower limb proprioception and assessed its validity, reliability, and feasibility. Results and conclusions: The toolbox provides outcome measures to assess six modalities of lower limb exteroception, proprioception, and body awareness in children with UMN lesions. The feasibility and psychometric properties of the investigated outcome measures are confirmed as good. The correlations between the individual somatosensory and motor function assessments vary greatly. Structural body awareness and joint position sense showed the highest relationship to motor activity and are included into the core toolbox. Further studies should investigate the validity, reliability, and feasibility of a tactile localisation tasks of the whole lower limb to assess body awareness.