title: Ambulatory activity of children with cerebral palsy: which characteristics are important?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess ambulatory activity of children with cerebral palsy (CP), aged 7 to 13 years, and identify associated characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two children with spastic CP (39 males, 23 females; mean age 10y 1mo, SD 1y 8mo; age range 7-13y), classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to III, participated. Ambulatory activity was measured during 1 week with a StepWatch activity monitor as steps per day, and time spent at medium and high step rates. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed following a backward selection procedure until only independent variables with p<0.05 remained in the model. Ambulatory activity outcome parameters served as dependent variables, and disease, personal, and environmental characteristics as independent variables. Ambulatory activity was corrected for body height.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children took more steps during school days (5169 steps, SD 1641) than during weekend days (4158 steps, SD 2048; p<0.001). Higher GMFCS level, bilateral CP, and higher age were associated with lower ambulatory activity on school days (R(2) ranged from 43-53%), whereas bilateral CP, higher age, and no sport club participation were associated with lower ambulatory activity in the weekend (R(2) ranged from 21-42%). Correcting for body height decreased the association with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions should focus at increasing physical activity at the weekend for children with bilateral spastic CP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, Research Institute MOVE, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Leontien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Wely
authors.forename: Jules G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.forename: Astrid C J
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Balemans
authors.forename: Annet J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dallmeijer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D020446:Fitness Centers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012016:Reference Values; D055070:Resistance Training; D012931:Social Environment; D016138:Walking