Coordination

Coordination is the ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and efficiently. In medicine, coordination often refers to motor coordination, which includes both gross motor skills and fine motor skills.

Gross Motor Skills

Gross motor skills involve movements of the large muscles of the arms, legs and torso. These skills are important for major body movements such as walking, balancing, rolling, and crawling.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills involve smaller movements that occur in the wrists, hands, fingers, feet and toes. They are necessary for smaller actions such as picking up objects between the thumb and finger, writing carefully, and even blinking.

Coordination Disorders

Coordination disorders, also known as motor disorders, affect the ability to move and coordinate movements. They can be caused by a variety of conditions, including neurological disorders, injuries, and developmental disorders. Some common coordination disorders include:

• Cerebral palsy: A group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture.
• Dyspraxia: A developmental disorder that affects physical coordination.
• Ataxia: A degenerative disease of the nervous system that affects coordination, speech, and swallowing.
• Parkinson's disease: A neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement, causing tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

Treatment

Treatment for coordination disorders depends on the underlying cause. It often involves physical therapy, occupational therapy, and in some cases, medication or surgery.

See Also

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Neurological disorders
• Motor skills

Coordination Resources
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