Upper Body Motor Impairment

A condition affecting the motor function of the arms, hands, or upper body that limits or prevents the use of standard input devices such as keyboards, mice, and touchscreens. Upper body motor impairments can result from conditions including amputation, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, stroke, muscular dystrophy, or repetitive strain injuries, and range from reduced dexterity and grip strength to complete loss of upper limb function. People with these impairments may use alternative input methods including voice control, head tracking, eye gaze, switch access, or foot-based interaction, depending on their specific capabilities. Accessibility solutions for this population must consider the wide spectrum of motor abilities and avoid assuming that all motor-impaired users have the same residual function.