Prerequisites for Motor Control

Typical Motor Control Components

Atypical Motor Control Components

cognition - perception

able to:

1. attend to environment
2. perceive environment
3. remember and relate to past experience

apraxia

memory impairments

disorientation

range of motion

normal alignment of body segments

normal length-tension on muscle and connective tissue

contractures

increased connective tissue formation (stiffening)

disuse atrophy

sensation

intact, two-way communication between sensory and motor systems

somatosensory and kinesthetic deficits

slow velocity

decreased accuracy

strength

appropriate effort and force production in a muscle

reduction of motor units available for activation

selective atrophy (decreased fast twitch)

reduced firing rate of motor neurons

tone

tension between origin and insertion of a muscle

hypotonic

hypertonic

spasticity

synergies

patterns of contractions which are variable and flexible

stabilize body segments during movement

produce movement

Non-selective movement patterns

Stereotypic and predictable movement patterns

flexor synergies

extensor synergies

adaptability

ability to modify motor programs and make predictions/plan based on the environment; integration of

• body position
• amplitude of movement
• speed, force, posture, and accuracy requirements
• sensory and environmental conditions

Rigid and inflexible responses to initiating/producing movement

• increased tone
• loss of selectivity
• lack of automatic movement
• difficulty moving in anti-gravity positions
• poor fine/graded motor control
• slow movements