The effects of progressive resistance training on daily physical activity in young people with cerebral palsy: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose: To examine if individualised resistance training increases the daily physical activity of adolescents and young adults with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Method: Young people with bilateral spastic CP were randomly assigned to intervention or to usual care. The intervention group completed an individualised lower limb progressive resistance training programme twice a week for 12 weeks in community gymnasiums. The primary outcome was daily physical activity (number of steps, and time sitting and lying). Secondary outcomes included muscle strength measured with a one-repetition maximum (1RM) leg press and reverse leg press. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks. Results: From the 36 participants with complete data at 12 weeks, there were no between-group differences for any measure of daily physical activity. There was a likely increase in leg press strength in favour of the intervention group (mean difference 11.8 kg; 95% CI −1.4 to 25.0). No significant adverse events occurred during training. Conclusions: A short-term resistance training programme that may increase leg muscle strength was not effective in increasing daily physical activity. Other strategies are needed to address the low-daily physical activity levels of young people with bilateral spastic CP.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Progressive resistance training may increase muscle strength but does not lead to increases in daily physical activity of young people with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and mild to moderate walking disabilities.

• Other strategies apart from or in addition to resistance training are needed to address the low daily physical activity levels of young people with bilateral spastic CP and mild to moderate walking disabilities.

• Cerebral palsy
• motor activity
• resistance training
• sedentary behaviour
• sedentary lifestyle

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the staff of the Hugh Williamson gait laboratory (Royal Children’s Hospital, Victoria) for their assistance with data collection.

Declaration of interest

This study was reviewed and approved by the relevant university and health services ethics committees (ref: 08-012 and 28006C). The study was supported financially by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (ID487321). The funder had no involvement in the study design, data collection/analysis/interpretation or decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The authors report no declaration of interest.