Endurance and gait in children with cerebral palsy after intensive body weight-supported treadmill training.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate changes in endurance, functional gait, and balance after intensive body weight-supported treadmill training in children with CP who were ambulatory.


METHODS
Six school-aged children with CP (four boys, two girls; age range: six to 14 years) participated in an intensive program of body weight-supported treadmill training 30 minutes twice daily for two weeks.


RESULTS
Statistically significant improvement in walking velocity and energy expenditure were observed. Variability of individual outcomes was observed with some children showing positive changes, and others no change or a decline in performance. Four children showed minimal detectable changes in a positive direction on both an endurance measure and a functional gait measure. Each endurance and functional gait measure included at least one child with a positive minimal detectable change.


CONCLUSIONS
Intensive body weight-supported treadmill training may be an effective intervention for some children with CP who are ambulatory.
Provost
Beth
B
Physical Therapy Program, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA. eprovost@salud.unm.edu
Dieruf
Kathy
K
Burtner
Patricia A
PA
Phillips
John P
JP
Bernitsky-Beddingfield
Ann
A
Sullivan
Katherine J
KJ
Bowen
Chantel A
CA
Toser
Lesley
L
D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome