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The purpose of this literature review, regarding all types of exercise programs focusing on cardiovascular fitness (aerobic and anaerobic capacity) and/or lower-extremity muscle strength in children with cerebral palsy (CP), was to address the following questions: (1) what exercise programs focusing on muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, or a combination are studied, and what are the effects of these exercise programs in children with CP? (2) What are the outcome measures that were used to assess the effects of the exercise programs? (3) What is the methodological quality of the studies? We systematically searched the literature in electronic databases up to October 2006 and included a total of 20 studies that were evaluated. The methodological quality of the included trials was low. However, it seems that children with CP may benefit from improved exercise programs that focused on lower-extremity muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, or a combination. The outcome measures used in most studies were not intervention specific and often only focused on the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health body function and activity level. There is a need to determine the efficacy of exercise programs to improve the daily activity and participation level of children with CP and increase their self-competence or quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIT) on physical fitness and cardiometabolic health in youth with physical disabilities., Methods: For this quasi-experimental study 70 participants were recruited from schools for special education and divided into runners and users of wheelchairs. HIT was performed for 8 weeks, twice a week, containing 30 seconds all-out exercises., Results: Exercise adherence was 84.5%. Following HIT, there were improvements in anaerobic performance, agility, aerobic performance, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. There were no changes in peak oxygen uptake ((Equation is included in full-text article.)O2peak), arterial stiffness, body composition, lipid profile, and fasting glucose., Conclusions: Both anaerobic and aerobic performance improved after HIT, with no changes in (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2peak. There were no effects on cardiometabolic health, except for a decrease in blood pressure.

The implementation of computer games in physical therapy is motivated by characteristics such as attractiveness, motivation, and engagement, but these do not guarantee the intended therapeutic effect of the interventions. Yet, these characteristics are important variables in physical therapy interventions because they involve reward-related dopaminergic systems in the brain that are known to facilitate learning through long-term potentiation of neural connections. In this perspective we propose a way to apply game design approaches to therapy development by "designing" therapy sessions in such a way as to trigger physical and cognitive behavioral patterns required for treatment and neurological recovery. We also advocate that improving game knowledge among therapists and improving communication between therapists and game designers may lead to a novel avenue in designing applied games with specific therapeutic input, thereby making gamification in therapy a realistic and promising future that may optimize clinical practice.

Purpose: The first aim was to extend the reference values and curves of the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) in children with typical development. The second aim was to examine test/retest and intertester reliability of the MPST., Methods: A total of 683 children aged 6 to 18 years (mean = 11.9 ± 3.8 years) were tested on the MPST. Test/retest reliability was examined in 71 children and intertester reliability in 77 children. MPST scores were merged with existing values and transformed into height-related normative reference curves., Results: Sex-specific MPST curves were generated for children aged 6 to 18 years. Test/retest reliability was good (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.90) and intertester reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97)., Conclusions: New and more complete MPST normative reference values and curves for children from 6 to 18 years old are now available. The MPST is easy and reliably performed by clinicians.

Purpose: Using a locomotor-based field test of anaerobic performance, this study compared the anaerobic performance of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) who walk without support with that of peers who are typically developing., Methods: The Muscle Power Sprint Test was performed by 159 children with CP (102 boys, mean age 9.7 ± 1.5 years; and 57 girls, mean age 9.5 ± 1.6 years) classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System level I (n = 115) or level II (n = 44) and 376 children with typical development (175 boys, mean age 8.9 ± 1.8 years; and 201 girls, mean age 9.0 ± 1.7 years)., Results: The anaerobic performance of the children with CP was lower than that of peers with typical development., Conclusions: The difference between the 2 groups increased with height, especially for the children with CP classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System level II. Children with CP appear to have impaired anaerobic performance.

Purpose: To validate the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) against the Wingate Anaerobic cycling Test (WAnT) in a group of youth with cerebral palsy (CP)., Methods: Twenty children and adolescents (11 boys and 9 girls; mean age = 14.8 years) with spastic CP, and classified as either level I or II of the Gross Motor Function Classification System, completed the study., Results: Very strong significant correlations were seen for peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) from the MPST and WAnT PP and MP values (PP: r = 0.731, P < .001; MP: r = 0.903, P < .001)., Conclusions: The results of this study show that the MPST is a valid test for measuring anaerobic capacity in children with CP, and that this test can be used as an evaluation tool for anaerobic performance in exercise interventions focusing on children and adolescents with CP who are able to walk or run independently.

Purpose: The aims of this study were (1) to develop centile reference values for anaerobic performance of Dutch children tested using the Muscle Power Sprint Test (MPST) and (2) to examine the test-retest reliability of the MPST., Methods: Children who were developing typically (178 boys and 201 girls) and aged 6 to 12 years (mean = 8.9 years) were recruited. The MPST was administered to 379 children, and test-retest reliability was examined in 47 children. MPST scores were transformed into centile curves, which were created using generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape., Results: Height-related reference curves were created for both genders. Excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.98) test-retest reliability was demonstrated., Conclusions: The reference values for the MPST of children who are developing typically and aged 6 to 12 years can serve as a clinical standard in pediatric physical therapy practice. The MPST is a reliable and practical method for determining anaerobic performance in children.

Purpose: We investigated reliability, construct validity, and feasibility of two sprint tests for children with cerebral palsy (CP)., Methods: Twenty-six children with CP participated (7-18 years of age; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] level I or II). On different occasions, the 10 x 5-Meter Sprint Test and the Muscle Power Sprint Test were scored by different assessors., Results: Excellent interobserver reliability (intraclass correlation [ICC] = 1.0 and ICC >or= 0.97) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.97 and ICC >or= 0.97) were obtained. Scores differed significantly on both sprint tests for children classified at GMFCS level I and level II. Mean scores for feasibility ranged from 8.8 to 9.2 on a 10-cm visual analog scale (10 = the best)., Conclusions: Both exercise tests are reliable and have good feasibility for children and adolescents with CP (GMFCS level I or II). Construct validity is supported for both sprint tests in children classified at GMFCS level I and level II.