COMPARISON OF SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF MOVEMENT PERFORMANCE IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL-PALSY

This study evaluated the use of accelerometry to measure the quality o f movement in children with cerebral palsy. Accelerometer scores based on a previously described test were correlated with scores on a newly developed clinical test shown to be both valid and reliable. Low corr elations were obtained between clinical test scores and accelerometer scores. Although the accelerometer test has been shown to be effective in distinguishing between able-bodied children and those with cerebra l palsy, it is not sufficiently sensitive to distinguish between level s of movement quality in the latter population. The accelerometer may measure a different aspect of movement from that measured by the clini cal test, and does not appear to be a valid test of the quality of mov ement in children with cerebral palsy.