Application of motor learning in neurorehabilitation: a framework for health-care professionals

ABSTRACT

Learning motor skills is an essential part of most rehabilitation processes. Facilitating and supporting motor learning is particularly challenging in neurological rehabilitation: patients who suffer from neurological diseases experience both physical limitations and difficulties of cognition and communication that affect and/or complicate the motor learning process. Therapists (e.g. physiotherapists and occupational therapists) who work in neurorehabilitation are therefore continuously searching for the best way to facilitate patients during these intensive learning processes. To support therapists in the application of motor learning, a framework was developed, integrating knowledge from the literature and the opinions and experiences of international experts. This article presents the framework, illustrated by cases from daily practice. The framework may assist therapists working in neurorehabilitation in making choices, implementing motor learning in routine practice, and supporting communication of knowledge and experiences about motor learning with colleagues and students. The article discusses the framework and offers suggestions and conditions given for its use in daily practice.

KEYWORDS:

• motor learning
• framework
• neurological rehabilitation

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Notes

¹ The term “(motor) learning strategy” is used in this article with the following definition: a learning strategy includes motor learning options that share a common background/theory and therefore also have comparable practical characteristics.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Nationaal Regieorgaan Praktijkgericht Onderzoek SIA, RAAK Pro [2014-01-49PRO].