ASHT member and volunteer Jenny Dorich, PhD, MBA, OTR/L, CHT spearheaded a study exploring how brachial plexus birth injury can have lifelong impacts for some individuals and providing critical insights for both healthcare providers and families. The team’s findings were recently published in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Wellbeing.
Unraveling a Lifelong Journey: The LEAP Study Explores Brachial Plexus Birth Injury in Adults
Research By: Jenny Dorich, PhD, MBA, OTR/L, CHT
Post Date: April 4, 2025 | Publish Date: October 4, 2024
Imagine living with a condition that changes as you do, shaping not just your body, but your identity, emotions, and interactions with the world. For adults with brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI), this is their reality—a dynamic, evolving experience that extends far beyond childhood.
Thanks to the Lived Experience of Adults with Brachial Plexus Birth Injury (LEAP) study, funded by a Cincinnati Children’s Place Outcomes Research Award, we’re gaining a clearer picture of what life looks like for this population.
This collaborative effort, spearheaded by Jenny Dorich, PhD, MBA, OTR/L, CHT, Assistant Professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and program lead for Hand Therapy in the Division of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, explores how this birth injury—characterized by upper limb paralysis due to birth trauma—can have life-long impacts for some individuals and provides critical insights for both healthcare providers and families. The team’s findings were recently published in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Wellbeing.
BPBI is a leading cause of childhood paralysis, occurring in 1-3 of 1,000 live births. Full recovery can occur within the first several months of life. However, at least 30% of the children experience incomplete recovery. A variety of musculoskeletal complications, such as persistent weakness, joint impairments, and altered limb growth, are common with the condition. During childhood, therapeutic and surgical interventions help minimize impairments, yet full recovery can be rare.
The LEAP study reinforces that while pediatric care is essential, addressing the lifelong nature of BPBI requires a broader healthcare strategy.