A strengthening program developed in part by University of Alberta researchers shows promise in helping children with cerebral palsy stay active and mobile.
The power training program, Resistance Intensive Personal Training (RIPT), was tested in a pilot study as a way to break down barriers to community-based exercise, says Candice Natrasony, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine who developed the program and is a co-author of the study.
“Youth with cerebral palsy often have their own goals related to functional mobility, and while strength training can help, families can’t always find fully accessible community facilities or inclusive programs for their children that include physical therapists and fitness professionals,” she notes. A lack of staff who are familiar with the needs of the children and costs to the families are also concerns.
Over 12 weeks, 18 youths aged eight to 17 participated in the RIPT high-velocity muscle strengthening exercises in group settings at community fitness centres, while receiving one-on-one support from physical therapists, personal trainers and volunteers.
The study evaluated whether RIPT helped youths reach personal movement goals and boosted their walking speed.
By the end of the program, the youths had significantly improved their walking speeds and short-burst muscle energy, and reported high levels of satisfaction and measurable success in reaching personal activity goals. Their fitness teams also found RIPT enjoyable and feasible.
The average attendance for the sessions was high at 87 per cent, with just minor muscle soreness reported.
RIPT bridges a gap between individual clinical physical therapy and community-level fitness, says study co-author Dr. Lesley Pritchard, adding that a toolkit is now being developed and evaluated in a new study funded by the Kids Brain Health Network, the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. The toolkit will be used to support RIPT’s national and international use.
“Youth and families talk about how they really like being out in the community, developing their athletic ability alongside others working out. This speaks to inclusion and belonging,” Pritchard says.
“Our hope is that RIPT is a sustainable option for pediatric rehabilitation and creates a connection to lifelong participation for people with cerebral palsy.”