title: FAST CP: protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the efficacy of a 12-week combined Functional Anaerobic and Strength Training programme on muscle properties and mechanical gait deficiencies in adolescents and young adults with spastic-type cerebral palsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) have muscles that are smaller, weaker and more resistant to stretch compared to typically developing people. Progressive resistance training leads to increases in muscle size and strength. In CP, the benefits of resistance training alone may not transfer to improve other activities such as walking; however, the transfer of strength improvements to improved mobility may be enhanced by performing training that involves specific functional tasks or motor skills. This study aims to determine the efficacy of combined functional anaerobic and strength training in (1) influencing muscle strength, structure and function and (2) to determine if any changes in muscle strength and structure following training impact on walking ability and gross motor functional capacity and performance in the short (following 3 months of training) and medium terms (a further 3 months post-training).
  
  
  METHODS
  40 adolescents and young adults with CP will be recruited to undertake a 12-week training programme. The training programme will consist of 3 × 75 min sessions per week, made up of 5 lower limb resistance exercises and 2-3 functional anaerobic exercises per session. The calf muscles will be specifically targeted, as they are the most commonly impacted muscles in CP and are a key muscle group involved in walking. If, as we believe, muscle properties change following combined strength and functional training, there may be long-term benefits of this type of training in slowing the deterioration of muscle function in people with spastic-type CP.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Ethical approval has been obtained from the ethics committees at The University of Queensland (2014000066) and Children's Health Queensland (HREC/15/QRCH/30). The findings will be disseminated by publications in peer-reviewed journals, conferences and local research organisations' media.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12614001217695).
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia Queensland Children's Motion Analysis Service, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jarred G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Gillett
authors.affiliation: Queensland Children's Motion Analysis Service, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Glen A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lichtwark
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Roslyn N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Lee A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Barber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D009520:New Zealand; D015397:Program Evaluation; D055070:Resistance Training; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cerebral Palsy; Muscle; RCT; Resistance training