Effects of seat-surface inclination on postural stability and function of the upper extremities of children with cerebral palsy.

This study investigated the effects of seat-surface inclination on parameters of postural stability and functional use of the upper extremity. 10 non-impaired children and 10 children with cerebral palsy, aged between four and 15 years, were studied. Seat-surface inclinations of 0 degree, 5 degrees anteriorly and 5 degrees posteriorly were used as the experimental conditions. Significant differences were observed on most dependent measures between the two groups. The results suggest that anteriorly tilting the seats of children with cerebral palsy may disturb postural stability, without improving performance of the upper extremity.