Assessment Of Motor Performance Research Articles

Maximal force production requires OPTIMAL conditions

The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning identifies several motivational and attentional factors that draw out latent motor performance capabilities. One implication of the OPTIMAL theory of motor learning (Wulf & Lewthwaite, 2016) is that standardized motor performance assessments likely do not reflect maximal capabilities unless they are "optimized" with appropriate testing conditions. The present study examined the effects of three key motivational (enhanced expectancies, EE, and autonomy support, AS) and attentional (external focus, EF) variables in the OPTIMAL theory on maximum force production. In Experiment 1, a handgrip strength task was used. EE, AS, and EF were implemented, in a counterbalanced order, on consecutive trial blocks in an optimized group. A control group performed all blocks under neutral conditions. While there were no group differences on Block 1 (baseline), the optimized group outperformed the control group on all other blocks. In Experiment 2, participants performed two one-repetition maximum (1-RM) squat lift tests, separated by one week. Two groups, an optimized group and control group, had similar 1-RM values on the first test performed under neutral conditions. However, on the second test, a group performing under optimized conditions (EE, AS, EF) showed an increase in 1-RM, while there was no change from the first to the second test for a control group. We argue that standard test conditions may not produce true maximal performance. The findings corroborate the importance of key factors in the OPTIMAL theory and should be applied to ensure accurate strength performance assessment.

Evaluation of motor performance of Brazilian children with Developmental Coordination Disorder through the Movement Assessment Battery for Children and the Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder

ABSTRACT Background: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have deficits in fundamental motor skills (e.g. catching, flinging, jumping and running) and complex motor skills (related to the contexts of sports, games and leisure) when compared to their typically developing peers. These deficits may compromise motor performance, impacting the daily life functionality of these children. In addition, different levels of motor performance can be observed within this motor disorder because DCD is a complex and multifactorial condition. As example, moderate and severe DCD are common terminologies used in the field, to classify children <16° percentile and <5° percentile in motor performance assessment related to DCD, respectively. Thus, evaluating the motor performance of these children with specific instruments is essential for the identification of impairment and provision of effective intervention. Yet, given the specificities across instruments available to assess motor performance along with the complex features surrounding children with DCD, differences among those instruments should compose the purpose of investigations in the motor skills field during childhood. Purpose: To compare the motor performance of Brazilian children with severe DCD (s-DCD) and moderate DCD (m-DCD) using two motor assessment instruments: the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – Second Edition (MABC-2) and the Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder (KTK). A total of 123 children, 66 with s-DCD and 57 with m-DCD, with a mean age of 8.7 (± 0.85) years were evaluated in this cross-sectional study. Results: No significant difference was found between the mean percentiles of the general motor performance of the children in the MABC-2 and KTK tests (p = 0.06). We observed significant correlations between the MABC-2 and KTK tests, ranging from 0.17 (very weak) to 0.47 (moderate). The strongest correlation was observed between the MABC-2 Balance component score and the KTK MQ Walking backwards (r = 0.47). The majority of children with s-DCD were classified as impaired, and the minority were classified as normal in the KTK test. Yet, the majority of those with m-DCD were classified as normal in the KTK test. An independent t-test showed a significant difference for most of the comparisons performed between the s-DCD and m-DCD groups. Conclusion: As expected, children with s-DCD scored lower in all MABC-2 components as well as in the quotients of KTK. Thus, the analysis of motor performance by the MABC-2 and KTK indicated that Brazilian children with s-DCD presented with more difficulties in motor performance than children with m-DCD, demonstrating the need for dividing children into these groups when studying them. Additionally, the use of two motor assessment instruments is recommended to better understand and support motor skills among children with DCD.

Design and Experimental Investigation of BLDC Motor for Aircraft Electromechanical Actuator

Among the electric motors used in the aircraft industry, brushless direct-current (BLDC) ones have the highest power density and efficiency. This paper presents the BLDC motor design and electromagnetic analysis for use in direct-drive aircraft electromechanical actuator. An experimental BLDC motor prototype has been made to test the output. Finite-element analysis (FEA) has been applied to finalize and investigate the characteristics of the BLDC motor design. Then, FEA output has been compared to experimental results in order to validate the latter. The high specific torque has been attained by the 12-slot, 8-pole configuration. Segmenting the rotor magnetic pole has reduced loss to eddy currents in permanent magnets, while double-layer concentric winding has reduced loss to copper and more effective dissipated heat. The BLDC motor presented herein has short response time and high rotor rotational angle precision thanks to the high torque to rotor moment-of-inertia ratio. For evaluating BLDC motor performance assessment, experiments have been run stand-alone, i.e. with no integration in a gearless EMA. Rotational speed vs torque, as well as the holding torque vs phase current at a given BLDC motor rotor position fit well the FEA output at a maximum difference of 10%. Post-test residual magnetization readings of the permanent magnets proved the BLDC motor operable.

A parent-reported standardised checklist is not sensitive to screen for motor problems at school age following neonatal critical illness.

AimAs nowadays more children survive neonatal critical illness, evaluation of long‐term morbidities becomes more important. We determined whether the parent‐reported Movement Assessment Battery for Children‐Second Edition (MABC‐2) Checklist is a proper tool to screen for motor problems in school‐aged children born with severe anatomical anomalies and/or treated with neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.MethodsWe analysed data of 190/253 children (60.0% male) participating in our multidisciplinary follow‐up programme who were routinely assessed at the ages of five, eight and/or 12 years. Parents completed the Checklist prior to assessment of the child's actual motor performance by a physical therapist using the MABC‐2 Test. The sensitivity and specificity of the Checklist with a cut‐off point of the 16th percentile were determined.ResultsThe sensitivity of the MABC‐2 Checklist was 57.1%, which implies that 42.9% of the children at risk for motor problems were not identified. The specificity was 79.1%.ConclusionThe low sensitivity of the MABC‐2 Checklist suggests that this instrument does not suffice to screen for motor problems in children who survived neonatal critical illness. Yet, it may help to gain insight in parental perceptions of the child's motor performance and to provide tailored advice on lifestyle.

Assessment of Neural and Motor Performance

Assessment of Neural and Motor Performance

Comparative evaluation of the local application of dimethyl sulfoxide in an experimental spinal cord injury model

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of the local application of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in an experimental spinal cord injury model.Material and Methods: This study included 20 Sprague–Dawley rats (12 males and 8 females) that were aged 4–6 months and weighed 160–300 g. The control and experimental groups had equal number of rats (n = 10). Ketamine hydrochloride (50 mg/kg) and diazepam (2 mg/kg) in saline solution were intraperitoneally administered. A rod bearing, glass tube through which the weight was passed, and modified Allen trauma device were used to induce trauma. The rats then developed post-traumatic flask paraplegia. DMSO was topically applied to the epidural space after a two-level laminectomy. The global motor performance of the rats was evaluated. Results: The motor performance of the experimental and control groups was assessed after trauma. Results showed that the rats presented with significantly decreased motor performance. In particular, the performance of the experimental group improved over time, and recovery accelerated after the fifth day. Based on a histological examination of the lesion sites after the tenth day, the experimental and control groups significantly differed in terms of global motor performance.Conclusion: The efficacy of the agent was evaluated via global motor performance assessment and histological examination. In the experimental group, a statistically significant difference was observed in terms of global motor performance, which was assessed using the tilted floor method, on the fifth day after trauma. Histologically, no statistically significant difference was noted between the two groups.

Trade-off between motor performance and behavioural flexibility in the action selection of cricket escape behaviour

To survive a predator’s attack successfully, animals choose appropriate actions from multiple escape responses. The motor performance of escape response governs successful survival, which implies that the action selection in escape behaviour is based on the trade-off between competing behavioural benefits. Thus, quantitative assessment of motor performance will shed light on the biological basis of decision-making. To explore the trade-off underlying the action selection, we focused on two distinct wind-elicited escape responses of crickets, running and jumping. We first hypothesized a trade-off between speed and directional accuracy. This hypothesis was rejected because crickets could control the escape direction in jumping as precisely as in running; further, jumping had advantages with regard to escape speed. Next, we assumed behavioural flexibility, including responsiveness to additional predator’s attacks, as a benefit of running. The double stimulus experiment revealed that crickets running in the first response could respond more frequently to a second stimulus and control the movement direction more precisely compared to when they chose jumping for the first response. These data suggest that not only the motor performance but also the future adaptability of subsequent behaviours are considered as behavioural benefits, which may be used for choosing appropriate escape reactions.

Effects of aging on finger movements in multiple sclerosis

BackgroundPeople with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) report impaired hand movements and coordination. With an engineered glove we demonstrated altered finger movements in PwMS; increasing age resulted in decreased performance in healthy subjects (normative data). This study aims at investigating aging effects on finger motor performance in PwMS, in relation to disease duration and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). MethodsNinety-six PwMS performed repetitive finger opposition movements with the dominant hand and both hands at maximal velocity or metronome-paced. Performance was compared with the norms, and correlation coefficients between finger motor parameters, age, disease duration and EDSS were calculated. ResultsThe majority of subjects was outside of the normal range according to age and probability increased with level of disability. Age significantly correlated with the glove parameters (r ranged in absolute value between 0.22–0.31; p-value in the range 0.002–0.049). Older subjects with lower disability showed worse performance than younger (p = 0.044 and 0.02), whilst younger subjects with higher disability performed similarly to older (p = 0.72 and 0.49). ConclusionFinger motor performance assessment provides important hints about upper limb disability, which should be evaluated in relation to age, disease duration and EDSS.

Aged mice show an increased mortality after anesthesia with a standard dose of ketamine/xylazine

Geriatric animal models are crucial for a better understanding and an improved therapy of age-related diseases. We observed a high mortality of aged mice after anesthesia with a standard dose of ketamine/xylazine, an anesthetic regimen frequently used in laboratory veterinary medicine.C57BL/6-N mice at the age of 2.14 ± 0.23 months (young mice) and 26.31 ± 2.15 months (aged mice) were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of 2 mg ketamine and 0.2 mg xylazine. 4 of 26 aged mice (15.4%) but none of 26 young mice died within 15 min after injection of the anesthetics. The weight of aged mice was significantly higher than that of young mice (32.8 ± 5.4 g versus 23.2 ± 3.4 g, p < 0.0001). Thus, aged mice received lower doses of anesthetics in relation to their body weight which are within the lower range of doses recommended in the literature or even beneath. There were no differences between deceased and surviving aged mice concerning their sex, weight and their motor performance prior to anesthesia.Our data clearly show an age-related increase of mortality upon anesthesia with low standard doses of ketamine/xylazine. Assessment of weight and motor performance did not help to predict vulnerability of aged mice to the anesthetics. Caution is necessary when this common anesthetic regimen is applied in aged mice: lower doses or the use of alternative anesthetics should be considered to avoid unexpected mortality.The present data from our geriatric mouse model strongly corroborate an age-adjusted reduction of anesthetic doses to reduce anesthesia-related mortality in aged individuals.

A Standardized Protocol for Maximum Repetition Rate Assessment in Children

Background/Aims: Maximum repetition rate (MRR) is often used in the assessment of speech motor performance in older children and adults. The present study aimed to evaluate a standardized protocol for MRR assessment in young children in Dutch. Methods: The sample included 1,524 children of 2–7 years old with no hearing difficulties and Dutch spoken in their nursery or primary school and was representative for children in the Netherlands. The MRR protocol featured mono-, tri-, and bisyllabic sequences and was computer-implemented to maximize standardization. Results: Less than 50% of the 2-year-olds could produce >1 monosyllabic sequence correctly. Children who could not correctly produce ≥2 monosyllabic sequences could not produce any of the multisyllabic sequences. The effect of instruction (“faster” and “as fast as possible”) was small, and multiple attempts yielded a faster MRR in only 20% of the cases. MRRs did not show clinically relevant differences when calculated over different numbers of repeated syllables. Conclusions: The MRR protocol is suitable for children of 3 years and older. If children cannot produce at least 2 of the monosyllabic sequences, the multisyllabic tasks should be omitted. Furthermore, all fast attempts of each sequence should be analyzed to determine the fastest MRR.

Age‐related alterations in gait function in freely moving male C57BL/6 mice: translational relevance of decreased cadence and increased gait variability

Age‐related gait dysfunction and balance disorders are a major cause of falls and injury in the elderly population. Epidemiological studies have shown that disturbances in gait coordination which manifest with age are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, impaired cognitive capacity, as well as reduced level of function and loss of independence. In geroscience mice are the most frequently used model system to test efficiency of anti‐aging interventions. Despite the clinical importance of age‐related gait abnormalities in older adults, the impact of aging on mouse gait coordination is not well documented in the literature. To characterize the effect of aging on mouse gait, we assessed gait function in young (3 month old) and aged (24 month old) freely moving C57BL/6 mice using the semi‐automated, highly sensitive, Catwalk XT system for quantitative assessment of footfall and motor performance. We found that aged mice exhibited significantly decreased cadence and increased stride time variability. Aging also tended to alter footfall patterns. In aged mice speed, swing speed, stride length, duty cycle, base of support, terminal dual stance, the regularity index and the gait symmetry index were unaltered. Thus, aging is associated with characteristic alterations in gait function in C57BL/6 mice, which could potentially be assessed as clinically relevant endpoints in geroscience studies testing the effects of anti‐aging interventions.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Longitudinal assessment of health-span and pre-death morbidity in wild type Drosophila.

The increase in human life expectancy is accompanied by age-related cognitive and motor disability, thus raising the demand for strategies toward healthy aging. This requires understanding the biology of normal aging and late-life functional phenotypes. Genetic model organisms, such as Drosophila melanogaster, can help identifying evolutionary conserved mechanisms underlying aging. Longitudinal assessment of motor performance of more than 1000 individual flies revealed age-related motor performance decline and specific late-life motor disabilities. This allows defining heath- and ill-span and scoring late-life quality of individual flies. As in mammals, including humans, onset, duration, severity, and progression dynamics of decline are heterogenic and characterized by both, progressive worsening and sudden late-life events. Flies either become increasingly incapacitated by accumulating disability over multiple days prior to death, or they escape disability until few hours prior to death. Both late-life trajectories converge into a terminal stage characterized by stereotypical signs of functional collapse and death within 3 hours. Drosophila can now be used to evaluate life prolonging manipulations in the context of late-life quality. High sugar diet increases lifespan and late-life quality, whereas lifespan prolonging antioxidant supplementation has either no, or negative effects on late-life quality, depending on base diet and gender.

The relationship between motor performance and femoral cartilage thickness in children with Down syndrome.

Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder associated with mental and motor developmental delays in childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of the femoral cartilage thickness with motor performance in children with Down syndrome (DS). A total of 39 children with DS in the age range of 12-42 months were included in the study (female/male: 21/18; mean age: 23.4 ± 8.2 months). Femoral cartilage thickness was measured with ultrasound in the medial and lateral condyles and intercondylar areas of both knees. Gross motor subtest scaled scores of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III were used for the motor performance assessment. There was a positive correlation between the gross motor scaled scores and the femoral cartilage thickness in both knee joints (p < .05; r = 0.415 for the right medial condyle; r = 0.323 for the right lateral condyle; r = 0.339 for the right intercondylar area; r = 0.369 for the left medial condyle; r = 0.364 for the left lateral condyle, and r = 0.590 for the left intercondylar area). The study demonstrated that the femoral cartilage thickness was positively correlated with gross motor functioning in children with DS.

Motion Tracking for Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Upper Limb Movements Following Acromioclavicular Joint Ligament Reconstruction: A Pilot Study

Background: Technological tools as robotic devices and wearable sensors can provide accurate and repeatable measurements of physical variables (e.g., position, velocities, forces) which can be used for quantitative and qualitative assessment of movement analysis and upper limb motor performance. Objective: The study aims to propose a quantitative and qualitative assessment of upper limb motor performance by means of seven kinematic parameters recorded by a passive mechatronic device in patients who underwent a surgical procedure for ligament reconstruction following acromioclavicular joint dislocation. Method: Five patients (mean age: 40 ± 12 years) with acromioclavicular joint dislocation were enrolled. A passive end-effector mechatronic device characterized by 7 degrees of freedom and designed for the assessment of upper limb motor performance - especially for measuring the hand position in three-dimensional space - was used. The Constant-Murley score and seven kinematic parameters were used as clinical outcome measure and quantitative and qualitative assessment, respectively. Results: The preliminary results of this study show no significant differences between the impaired arm and unimpaired arm: the end-effector passive mechatronic device used in this study is able to provide an overall assessment of the upper limb motor performance following shoulder impairment. Conclusion: The motion tracker can be easily used as effective tool for quantitative and qualitative assessment of upper limb motor performance, even several years after the surgical operation.

Sleep deprivation disrupts striatal anti-apoptotic responses in 6-hydroxy dopamine-lesioned parkinsonian rats.

Objective(s):The present study was conducted to examine the effect of sleep deprivation (SD) on the anti-apoptotic pathways in Parkinsonian rats. Materials and Methods:Male Wistar rats (n = 40) were assigned to four groups (10 animals each): sham surgery (Sham), 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned (OH), 6-OHDA-lesioned plus grid control (OH+GC), 6-OHDA-lesioned plus SD (OH+SD). Parkinson’s disease (PD) model was induced by the unilateral intra-striatal infusion of 6-OHDA (10 µg/rat). SD (4 hr/day, for 14 days) was induced using a multiple platforms water tank. On the last day of interventions, animals were subjected to open field test for horizontal motor performance assessment. Also, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Bcl-2 and Bax were assessed in the striatum of study groups. Results:SD obscured the motor deficits of PD animals observed in open field test. BDNF level and Bcl2/Bax ratio significantly increased in the OH group, and SD reduced their levels in the PD animals. Conclusion:SD suppressed the anti-apoptotic compensatory responses in the striatum; therefore, it may accelerate continual neuronal cell death in PD.

A ‘Fingerprint’ of locomotor maturation: Motor development descriptors, reference development bands and data-set

BackgroundWhen aiming at studying and monitoring locomotor development in childhood, innovative indexes for the characterization of motor control performance and wearable technologies have highlighted the potential of significant advances. In particular, quantitative assessment of motor performance during natural walking (NW) and tandem walking (TW) has been proposed to highlight manifestations of motor automaticity and complexity, respectively. Research questionThis work aims at providing a quantitative overview of metrics characterizing locomotor maturation in a typically developing population, by analysing NW and TW. The final goal is to propose a novel graphical representation of motor development from childhood to adulthood, providing metrics for quantitative assessment with reference bands and data-set, supporting data interpretation and longitudinal assessment. Methods112 typically developing participants (age groups: 6-, 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-, 15-, and 25 years) walked in NW and in TW at self-selected speed. 3D acceleration and angular velocity of lower trunk and shanks were collected. Temporal parameters, their variability, and nonlinear metrics characterizing human movement (harmonic ratio, short-term Lyapunov exponents, multiscale entropy, and recurrence quantification analysis) were calculated. Effect of age was analysed on the different parameters and a graphical polar plot was defined to represent parameters that showed age effect in at least one of the two tasks. ResultsAge effect was shown on temporal parameters, their variability, multiscale entropy and recurrence quantification analysis. These parameters were selected for monitoring locomotor development and presented on an ad-hoc designed polar plot showing age-group reference bands. SignificanceGraphic results outline locomotor differences with maturation at first glance. The patterns in NW and TW allow to characterize specific aspects of locomotor maturation, to evaluate in which area changes occur and towards which direction, depending on the task. The novel database containing participants’ raw collected data is made available as additional result of the present study.

Age-Related Alterations in Gait Function in Freely Moving Male C57BL/6 Mice: Translational Relevance of Decreased Cadence and Increased Gait Variability.

Age-related gait dysfunction and balance disorders are a major cause of falls and injury in the elderly population. Epidemiological studies have shown that disturbances in gait coordination which manifest with age are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, impaired cognitive capacity, as well as reduced level of function and loss of independence. In geroscience, mice are the most frequently used model system to test efficiency of antiaging interventions. Despite the clinical importance of age-related gait abnormalities in older adults, the impact of aging on mouse gait coordination is not well documented in the literature. To characterize the effect of aging on mouse gait, we assessed gait function in young (3-month-old) and aged (24-month-old) freely moving C57BL/6 mice using the semiautomated, highly sensitive CatWalk XT system for quantitative assessment of footfall and motor performance. We found that aged mice exhibited significantly decreased cadence and increased stride time variability. Aging also tended to alter footfall patterns. In aged mice, speed, swing speed, stride length, duty cycle, base of support, terminal dual stance, the regularity index, and the gait symmetry index were unaltered. Thus, aging is associated with characteristic alterations in gait function in C57BL/6 mice, which could potentially be assessed as clinically relevant endpoints in geroscience studies testing the effects of antiaging interventions.

Neuromotor performance in infants before and after early open-heart surgery and risk factors for delayed development at 6 months of age.

Early identification of infants with CHD at heightened risk of developmental delays can inform surveillance priorities. This study investigated pre-operative and post-operative neuromotor performance in infants undergoing open-heart surgery, and their developmental status at 6 months of age, to identify risk factors and inform care pathways. Infants undergoing open-heart surgery before 4 months of age were recruited into a prospective cohort study. Neuromotor performance was assessed pre-operatively and post-operatively using the Test of Infant Motor Performance and Prechtl's Assessment of General Movements. Development was assessed at 6 months of age using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire third edition. Pre-operative and post-operative General Movements performance was compared using McNemar's test and test of infant motor performance z-scores using Wilcoxon's signed rank test. Risk factors for delayed development at 6 months were explored using logistic regression. Sixty infants were included in this study. In the 23 (38%) infants. A total of 60 infants were recruited. In the 23 (38%) infants assessed pre-operatively, there was no significant difference between pre- and post-operative performance on the GMs (p=0.63) or TIMP (p=0.28). At discharge, 15 (26%) infants presented with abnormal GMs, and the median TIMP z-score was -0.93 (IQR: -1.4 to -0.69). At 6 months, 28 (52.8%) infants presented with gross motor delay on the ASQ-3, significantly negatively associated with gestational age (p=0.03), length of hospital stay (p=0.04) and discharge TIMP score (p=0.01). Post-operative assessment using the GMs and TIMP may be useful to identify infants requiring individualised care and targeted developmental follow-up. Long-term developmental surveillance beyond 6 months of age is recommended.

A Self-Managed System for Automated Assessment of UPDRS Upper Limb Tasks in Parkinson's Disease.

A home-based, reliable, objective and automated assessment of motor performance of patients affected by Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is important in disease management, both to monitor therapy efficacy and to reduce costs and discomforts. In this context, we have developed a self-managed system for the automated assessment of the PD upper limb motor tasks as specified by the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The system is built around a Human Computer Interface (HCI) based on an optical RGB-Depth device and a replicable software. The HCI accuracy and reliability of the hand tracking compares favorably against consumer hand tracking devices as verified by an optoelectronic system as reference. The interface allows gestural interactions with visual feedback, providing a system management suitable for motor impaired users. The system software characterizes hand movements by kinematic parameters of their trajectories. The correlation between selected parameters and clinical UPDRS scores of patient performance is used to assess new task instances by a machine learning approach based on supervised classifiers. The classifiers have been trained by an experimental campaign on cohorts of PD patients. Experimental results show that automated assessments of the system replicate clinical ones, demonstrating its effectiveness in home monitoring of PD.

Position of pelvis in the 3rd month of life predicts further motor development

The aim of the study is to select elements of motor skills assessed at 3 months that provide the best predictive properties for motor development at 9 months. In all children a physiotherapeutic assessment of the quantitative and qualitative development at the age of 3 months was performed in the prone and supine positions, which was presented in previous papers as the quantitative and qualitative assessment sheet of motor development. The neurological examination at the age of 9 months was based on the Denver Development Screening Test II and the evaluation of reflexes, muscle tone (hypotony and hypertony), and symmetry.The particular elements of motor performance assessment were shown to have distinct predictive value for further motor development (as assessed at 9 months), and the pelvis position was the strongest predictive element. Irrespective of the symptomatic and anamnestic factors the inappropriate motor performance may already be detected in the 3rd month of life and is predictive for further motor development. The assessment of the motor performance should be performed in both supine and prone positions. The proper position of pelvis summarizes the proper positioning of the whole spine and ensures proper further motor development. To our knowledge, the presented motor development assessment sheet allows the earliest prediction of motor disturbances.