INTRODUCTION: The Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is a therapeutic protocol proposed as an attempt to overcome the learned nonuse. OBJECTIVE: To assess constraint induced movement therapy protocol effects on two adolescents with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (HCP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two adolescents with HCP aged 12 and 14 years old were included and submitted to a CIMT protocol of three hours/day for three weeks. This study presented an ABA experimental design with a month follow-up. Teenager Motor Activity Log (TMAL) and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) were used for adolescents' data assessment and the evaluator did not participate on the intervention and was blinded considering evaluation order. RESULTS: There have been improvements in quality, amount and spontaneity of use of the affected upper extremity following CIMT with basis on TMAL. Both patients presented a decrease in time spent to perform WMFT tasks and functional skill improvement was observed. CONCLUSION: This study has shown positive effects CIMT on adolescents with HCP. However, further studies are necessary to confirm the intervention's efficacy in this clinical population.
Cerebral palsy; Adolescents; Hemiparesis; Rehabilitation
