Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
Methods:Six children with spastic CP (five males, one female; mean age 14y 11mo; three hemiplegic, three diplegic; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I and II) underwent ten, 20-minute training sessions over four weeks with a wearable adaptive resistance device. Strength, speed, walking efficiency, timed up and go (TUG), and six-minute walk test (6MWT) were used to measure training outcomes.
Results:Participants showed increased average plantar flexor strength (17 ± 8%, p = 0.02), increased preferred walking speed on the treadmill (39 ± 25%, p = 0.04), improved metabolic cost of transport (33 ± 9%, p = 0.03), and enhanced performance on the timed up and go (11 ± 9%, p = 0.04) and six-minute walk test (13 ± 9%, p = 0.04).
Conclusions:The observed increase in preferred walking speed, reduction in metabolic cost of transport, and improved performance on clinical tests of mobility highlights the potentially transformative nature of this novel therapy; the rate at which this intervention elicited improved function was 3 - 6 times greater than what has been reported previously.
SUBMITTER: Conner BC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7694567 | biostudies-literature | 2020
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Conner Benjamin C BC Remec Nushka M NM Orum Elizabeth K EK Frank Emily M EM Lerner Zachary F ZF
IEEE open journal of engineering in medicine and biology 20201102
<h4>Goal</h4>To determine the efficacy of wearable adaptive resistance training for rapidly improving walking ability in children with cerebral palsy (CP).<h4>Methods</h4>Six children with spastic CP (five males, one female; mean age 14y 11mo; three hemiplegic, three diplegic; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I and II) underwent ten, 20-minute training sessions over four weeks with a wearable adaptive resistance device. Strength, speed, walking efficiency, timed up and g ...[more]