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. 2007 Mar;87(3):248-57.
doi: 10.2522/ptj.20060157. Epub 2007 Jan 23.

Ambulatory physical activity performance in youth with cerebral palsy and youth who are developing typically

Kristie F Bjornson  1 , Basia Belza, Deborah Kartin, Rebecca Logsdon, John F McLaughlin
Affiliations

Ambulatory physical activity performance in youth with cerebral palsy and youth who are developing typically

Kristie F Bjornson et al. Phys Ther. 2007 Mar.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Assessment of walking activity in youth with cerebral palsy (CP) has traditionally been "capacity-based." The purpose of this study was to describe the day-to-day ambulatory activity "performance" of youth with CP compared with youth who were developing typically.

Subjects: Eighty-one youth with CP, aged 10 to 13 years, who were categorized as being in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to III and 30 age-matched youth who were developing typically were recruited.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, participants wore the StepWatch monitor for 7 days while documenting average daily total step counts, percentage of time they were active, ratio of medium to low activity levels, and percentage of time at high activity levels.

Results: The youth with CP demonstrated significantly lower levels of all outcomes than the comparison group.

Discussion and conclusion: Daily walking activity and variability decreased as functional walking level (GMFCS level) decreased. Ambulatory activity performance within the context of the daily life for youth with CP appears valid and feasible as an outcome for mobility interventions in CP.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Results of recruitment of participants with cerebral palsy (CP) showing numbers and reasons for exclusions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Median and interquartile range for average daily step counts as measured by the StepWatch monitor by functional levels (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels). Comparison between children who were developing typically and children with cerebral palsy (CP) in GMFCS levels I, II, and III (P<.001); comparison between children who were developing typically and children with CP in GMFCS level I (P= .04); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and II (P= .09); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and III (P< .001); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels II and III (P< .001).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Median and interquartile range for percentage of wearing time that the participants were active by functional levels (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels). Comparison between children who were developing typically and children with cerebral palsy (CP) in GMFCS level III (P< .001); comparison between children who were developing typically and children with CP in GMFCS level II (P= .10); comparison between children who were developing typically and children with CP in GMFCS level I (P= .39); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and III (P<.001); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and II (P= .88); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels II and III (P<.001).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Median and interquartile range for ratio of medium to low activity levels (expressed as a percentage) by functional levels (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels). Comparison between children who were developing typically and children with cerebral palsy (CP) in GMFCS level I (P= .31); comparison between children who were developing typically and children with CP in GMFCS levels II and III (P<.002); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and II (P= .18); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and III (P<.001); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels II and III (P<.001).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Median and interquartile range of percentage of time at high activity levels (>42 steps per minute) by functional levels (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels). Comparison between children who were developing typically and children with cerebral palsy (CP) in GMFCS level I (P= .08); comparison between children who were developing typically and children with CP in GMFCS levels II and III (P<.001); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and II (P= .33); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels I and III (P<.001); comparison between children with CP in GMFCS levels II and III (P<.001).
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Comment in

  • Invited commentary.
    Goodgold S. Goodgold S. Phys Ther. 2007 Mar;87(3):257-9; author reply 259-60. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20060157.ic. Phys Ther. 2007. PMID: 17332593 No abstract available.

References

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