CAN-flip: A Pilot Gymnastics Program for Children With Cerebral Palsy

This pilot study examined whether an adapted gymnastics program, CAN-flip, could be a feasible activity for children with cerebral palsy (CP) leading to improvements in muscle fitness, motor performance, and physical self-perception. Four girls and 1 boy (9.8 ± 1.3 yr) with CP participated in this multiple-baseline across-subjects design and were randomly assigned to start either the 6-wk gymnastics or the 6-wk control period. Muscle strength, neuromuscular activation, range of motion, gross motor performance, balance, and physical self-perception were assessed at baseline, after the first 6-wk period, and at the conclusion of the study. The gymnastics program comprised two 1-hr individualized classes per week. All participants were able to complete the gymnastics classes without injury and showed improvement in specific gymnastics skills. In addition, 3 of the 5 participants registered for regular gymnastics classes after the study, demonstrating the program's usability as a link to inclusive gymnastic classes.