None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a common neurological disorder that results from an injury occurring to the developing brain. People who have CP often have a common symptom of spasticity which affects how muscles function and stretch. They have muscles that are smaller, weaker and don’t stretch as easily compared to typically developing people. These muscle changes affect walking ability and may worsen with time. Resistance training (“strength” or “weight” training) leads to increases in muscle size and strength of the muscle being trained, however the impact of resistance training on muscle stretch and walking ability has not been thoroughly investigated. This research project aims to: 1. Compare the impact of progressive resistance training combined with functional exercise training on muscle strength and stretch. 2. Determine if changes in muscle strength and stretch following exercise training impact on walking ability and functional capacity in the short and medium terms. 34 adolescents with CP will be recruited (17 participants in each group) to undertake a 12 week training program. The exercise training program will consist of 3 sessions per week (total sessions=36), made up of 5 lower limb resistance exercises, followed by 2-3 functional anaerobic exercises involving movement and agility skills such as jumping, cornering and stair climbing. The calf muscles will be specifically targeted, as they are the most commonly affected muscles in CP and are a key muscle group involved in walking. If, as we believe, muscle properties change following resistance training, there may be long term benefits of this type of training in slowing the deterioration of muscle problems in people with spastic type CP and improving walking and functional capacity.
Interventions
The intervention group will undertake 75 minutes of combined heavy progressive resistance training (PRT) and functional anaerobic training at a tertiary gymnasium, 3 times per week for 12 weeks, targeting the Gastrocnemii, Soleus, and Tibialis Anterior muscles. The heavy PRT will be performed first in each session and consist of 5 resistance exercises targeting the Gastrocnemii, Soleus, and Tibialis Anterior muscles. The PRT program will be periodised, comprising 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions of
The intervention group will undertake 75 minutes of combined heavy progressive resistance training (PRT) and functional anaerobic training at a tertiary gymnasium, 3 times per week for 12 weeks, targeting the Gastrocnemii, Soleus, and Tibialis Anterior muscles. The heavy PRT will be performed first in each session and consist of 5 resistance exercises targeting the Gastrocnemii, Soleus, and Tibialis Anterior muscles. The PRT program will be periodised, comprising 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions of each exercise. Target intensity for the PRT component will be 60% 12 Repetition Maximum (12RM) in weeks 1-2; 80% 12RM in weeks 3-4; 100% 10RM in weeks 5-6; 100% 8RM in weeks 7-8, and 100% 6RM in weeks 9-12. 2-3 functional anaerobic exercises will be performed following the heavy PRT component of each session. These exercises will be performed at maximal intensity, comprising multiple all-out efforts lasting between 20s and 30s. Examples of the anaerobic exercises to be performed include step-ups, 5-metre shuttle runs, stair climbing, cornering, jumping, and agility shuttle runs. Correct technique will be strictly monitored at all exercise stations and individual feedback, instruction and demonstration will be provided by tertiary qualified exercise trainers. Each participant will complete a training diary in conjunction with the trainer throughout the intervention duration to document their progress, report injuries and fatigue levels, and provide intrinsic motivation to progress their training intensity. Participants will train in small groups up to a maximum of 6 people per training session.
Sponsors
Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, The University of Queensland
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
15 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
a) Aged between 15 and 30 years b) Have a confirmed diagnosis of spastic hemiplegia or diplegia type CP c) Can walk independently d) Are Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I or II e) Who have maximum passive ankle dorsiflexion range of motion of <5 degrees (knee fully extended).
Exclusion criteria
a) Have had previous lower limb surgery in the last 2 years and/or Botulinum toxin-A injections to the lower extremities within the last 6 months b) Cannot provide sufficient cooperation and cognitive understanding to participate in the intervention exercises c) Have undertaken lower limb resistance training within the last 6 months.
Outcome results
None listed