title: Endurance and gait in children with cerebral palsy after intensive body weight-supported treadmill training.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Program, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA. eprovost@salud.unm.edu
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Provost
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dieruf
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Burtner
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernitsky-Beddingfield
authors.forename: Katherine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Chantel A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toser
mesh_terms: 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