Author

Year

Country

Study Design

Sample Size

Methods

Outcomes

Corn et al.

(2003)

United Kingdom

Case Series

N=4

Population: ABI=2, Cerebral Palsy=2; Mean Age=12yr; Gender: Male=2, Female=2.

Intervention: Patients participated in a study testing the effect of an upper-limb, second skin lycra splint worn at school (6.5 hr/day) and its effect on upper limb movement. Both patients with an ABI were new users whilst the other two had been using splints for up to 12mo before the study. New users were assessed with the splint (intervention phase) then without the splint for a total of 17 wk. Long-term users did not wear their splint then resumed wearing the splint for a total of 14 wk. Assessments were conducted 2/wk.

Outcome Measure: Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function (MAUULF).

1.        One new user demonstrated significant improvements in MAUULF scores during the intervention phase of the splint (p<0.050) compared to the baseline phase.

2.        One long-term splint user experienced a significant decrease in MAUULF scores (p<0.050) during the intervention phase compared to the baseline phase.

3.        The remaining two users did not experience any significant increase or decrease in MAUULF scores during the intervention phase compared to the baseline phase.