Diaphragm strength and its association with trunk control and upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy.

Aim- To find the association between the strength of diaphragm with trunk control and upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy.

Methodology - Children with spastic cerebral palsy between the age group 7-15 will be recruited for the study. Once the informed consent is taken from the guardian/ parents of the child, the diaphragm strength of the children will be assessed using the Micro- Respiratory Pressure meter device. using this handheld non-invasive device Maximum Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) will be calculated, which represents the diaphragm strength. The diaphragm strength will be compared in the age-matched children with typical development. The trunk control will be assessed using the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo) scale and the arm function will be assessed using the Quality of Upper Extremity Skill Test (QUEST) scale. After the three components are obtained, statistical analysis will be done to find out the relationship between diaphragm strength, trunk control, and upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy.

Need of the study - Literature has proven that the diaphragm plays an important role in maintaining lumbar and rib stability which is necessary for upper limb movements. However, no direct association between the two components has been found. Due to a lack of literature on the role of the diaphragm muscle in trunk control, further studies are needed to be done.