Differences in Muscle Activity Patterns and Graphical Product Quality in Children With Graphomotor Impairment

Drawing on a vertical surface, rather than horizontal (such as blackboard) is often used by occupational therapists as a way of developing fine motor control and visual motor integration in children. In healthy children no difference in graphical quality was shown between drawing on vertical or horizontal surfaces. However, this was not investigated in children with graphomotor impairments. The goal of this study is to determine whether movements produced on a vertical surface differ in their performance level and muscle activation patterns compared to movements produced on a horizontal surface. The investigators predict that there would be a difference in the level of performance between the two surfaces.