title: Benefits and Enjoyment of a Swimming Intervention for Youth With Cerebral Palsy: An RCT Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate enjoyment and specific benefits of a swimming intervention for youth with cerebral palsy (CP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen youth with CP (aged 7 to 17 years, Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I to III) were randomly assigned to control and swimming groups. Walking ability, swimming skills, fatigue, and pain were assessed at baseline, after a 10-week swimming intervention (2/week, 40-50 minutes) or control period, after a 5-week follow-up and, for the intervention group, after a 20-week follow-up period. The level of enjoyment of each swim-session was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of enjoyment were high. Walking and swimming skills improved significantly more in the swimming than in the control group (P = .043; P = .002, respectively), whereas fatigue and pain did not increase. After 20 weeks, gains in walking and swimming skills were retained (P = .017; P = .016, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend a swimming program for youth with CP to complement a physical therapy program.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences (Drs Declerck and Verheul), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences (Dr Daly), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Faculty of Health Sciences (Dr Sanders), The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Marlies
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Declerck
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verheul
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology