How do we ensure sustainable physical activity options for people with disabilities?

More than just having fun! Understanding the experience of involvement in physical activity of adolescents living with cerebral palsy

Purpose: To explore the experiences of involvement of adolescents living with cerebral palsy, and their parents, while participating in physical activity. Understanding involvement in physical activity may be used to guide future participation.Methods: Eight adolescents (mean age 13 years 11 months, SD 1 year 6 months) with cerebral palsy participated in a New Zealand-based high-level mobility programme (HLMP) focused on running skills, twice per week for 12 weeks. The adolescents and 12 parents were interviewed before, after the 12 weeks and 9-months following the HLMP. Guided by interpretative description, 38 interviews were coded, analysed, and interpreted.Results: Four themes were: "Turning up is not enough" ("There's no point being there if you're not involved"); "In it all the way", "Changes on a dime", and "What works for me." Perceptions of involvement varied between adolescents and parents. Being "very involved" related to high levels of focus, concentration, effort; but not always enjoyment.Conclusions: Focusing on enjoyment as the key experience of involvement understates the complexity and dynamic nature of involvement. "Being involved" is not always easy and may not mean the absence of discomfort or effort. Optimising the individuals' involvement continuum during physical activity may be essential to promote lifelong participation.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONAdolescents living with cerebral palsy and their parents have differing perspective of involvement and utilise different strategies to encourage being and staying active.Teaching adolescents living with cerebral palsy about their involvement continuum and optimal level of involvement for each activity, context and environment could promote sustained participation.To ensure adolescents are "being involved" in physical activity, opportunities for engagement, motivation and persistence are important; enjoyment is a possible, but not essential attribute of involvement.Encouraging involvement in physical activity can be a source of family conflict from a young age therefore clinicians have a role as an essential supporter, motivator and educator.

Lifelong Fitness in Ambulatory Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy I: Key Ingredients for Bone and Muscle Health

Physical activity of a sufficient amount and intensity is essential to health and the prevention of a sedentary lifestyle in all children as they transition into adolescence and adulthood. While fostering a fit lifestyle in all children can be challenging, it may be even more so for those with cerebral palsy (CP). Evidence suggests that bone and muscle health can improve with targeted exercise programs for children with CP. Yet, it is not clear how musculoskeletal improvements are sustained into adulthood. In this perspective, we introduce key ingredients and guidelines to promote bone and muscle health in ambulatory children with CP (GMFCS I-III), which could lay the foundation for sustained fitness and musculoskeletal health as they transition from childhood to adolescence and adulthood. First, one must consider crucial characteristics of the skeletal and muscular systems as well as key factors to augment bone and muscle integrity. Second, to build a better foundation, we must consider critical time periods and essential ingredients for programming. Finally, to foster the sustainability of a fit lifestyle, we must encourage commitment and self-initiated action while ensuring the attainment of skill acquisition and function. Thus, the overall objective of this perspective paper is to guide exercise programming and community implementation to truly alter lifelong fitness in persons with CP.

Do physical activity interventions influence subsequent attendance and involvement in physical activities for children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review

PURPOSE

To investigate if children with cerebral palsy have sustained attendance and involvement in physical activities after completing physical activity interventions.

METHODS

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Seven databases were searched for the period 2001-2020 with hand-searching of pertinent reference lists. Criteria for study inclusion were participants aged 0-18 years and ≥50% with cerebral palsy; follow-up ≥1 month beyond completion of the physical activity intervention; and measurement of attendance and/or involvement in any physical activity post-intervention. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessments (Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) or tool for non-randomised studies) were completed independently by paired reviewers. Results were compiled by narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies were included (11 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), two non-randomised case series; intervention sample sizes: 6-34). All study participants had cerebral palsy and were aged 4-16.7 years. PEDro scores for the RCTs ranged from 5 to 10; 10 did not blind one or more therapist, participant, or assessor. Two case series showed high risk of bias. Twelve studies reported on attendance, with positive changes in three studies. At 4-14 weeks post-intervention, two studies demonstrated positive changes were maintained. Four studies included involvement outcomes; one reporting positive changes in physical activity involvement four weeks after intervention completion.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical activity attendance may be influenced by physical activity interventions in the short term, but more robust research designs are required to investigate whether gains can be sustained. Activity involvement, which may influence ongoing participation, is under-researched.Implications for RehabilitationPositive changes in attendance and involvement following physical activity interventions appear short term at best.Physical activity interventions should have longer follow-up periods to determine the effect on sustained physical activity participation.Careful selection and reporting of attendance and involvement outcome measures is required.The optimal physical activity intervention to increase attendance or involvement in physical activities remains uncertain.