Muscle Strengthening and Walking in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Pediatric Physical Therapy published research on muscle strengthening and walking in children with cerebral palsy. The purpose of this research was to determine whether changes in lower-limb muscle strength can make changes in walking capacity following 14-week periods of usual care, power training and follow-up for children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Methodology

A previous study indicated that functional power-training was an effective training for improving walking capacity in young children with cerebral palsy. This study was a secondary analysis of the previously conducted double-baseline controlled trial of 22 children with spastic cerebral palsy. Statistical analysis was completed in order to evaluate the relationships between within-subject changes in isometric muscle strength and walking capacity over 3 periods.

Results of the Study on Muscle Strengthening and Walking in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Following statistical analysis the results indicated that:

  • changes in hip abductor strength were associated with changes in the Muscle Power Sprint Test.
  • changes in gastrocnemius and hip abductor strength were associated with changes in the Shuttle Run Test.
  • changes in gastrocnemius strength were associated with changes in the 1-minute walk test.

All associations supported better walking capacity with increased strength.

The researchers concluded that walking capacity, especially sprint capacity, can be improved by increasing strength by functional power training in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

References:

van Vulpen LF, de Groot S, Rameckers E, Becher JG, Dallmeijer AJ. Improved Walking Capacity and Muscle Strength After Functional Power-Training in Young Children With Cerebral Palsy. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2017 Sep;31(9):827-841. doi: 10.1177/1545968317723750. Epub 2017 Aug 8. PMID: 28786309.

van Vulpen, Liesbeth F. PT, PhD; de Groot, Sonja PhD; Rameckers, Eugene A. A. PT, PhD; Becher, Jules G. MD, PhD; Dallmeijer, Annet J. PhD Improvements in Muscle Strength Are Associated With Improvements in Walking Capacity in Young Children With Cerebral Palsy, Pediatric Physical Therapy: December 02, 2020 – Volume Publish Ahead of Print – Issue – doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000764