title: An innovative cycling exergame to promote cardiovascular fitness in youth with cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of an internet-platform exergame cycling programme on cardiovascular fitness of youth with cerebral palsy (CP).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this pilot prospective case series, eight youth with bilateral spastic CP, Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS) level III, completed a six-week exergame programme. Outcomes were obtained at baseline and post-intervention. The primary outcome measure was the GMFCS III-specific shuttle run test (SRT-III). Secondary outcomes included health-related quality of life (HQL) as measured by the KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire, six-minute walk test, Wingate arm cranking test and anthropomorphic measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant improvements in the SRT-III (t = -2.5, p = 0.04, d = 0.88) post-intervention. There were no significant changes in secondary outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An exergame cycling programme may lead to improvement in cardiovascular fitness in youth with CP. This study was limited by small sample size and lack of a comparison group. Future research is warranted.
authors.affiliation: a Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada and.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knights
authors.affiliation: b School of Computing, Queen's University , Kingston , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: a Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada and.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Switzer
authors.affiliation: b School of Computing, Queen's University , Kingston , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Hamilton
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: b School of Computing, Queen's University , Kingston , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Zi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: a Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada and.
authors.forename: Briar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Findlay
authors.affiliation: a Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada and.
authors.forename: Wen Yan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: a Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada and.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: a Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada and.
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fehlings
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001642:Bicycling; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006293:Health Promotion; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D010809:Physical Fitness; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cardiovascular fitness; cerebral palsy; health-related quality of life; interactive computer play; virtual reality