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Physical Therapist Coaching to Improve Physical Activity in Children With Brain Tumors: A Pilot Study

Jessica A Ovans1, Mary C Hooke, Anne E Bendel

  • 1Children's Minnesota (Drs Ovans, Hooke, and Bendel and Ms Tanner), Minneapolis, Minnesota; University of Minnesota School of Nursing (Dr Hooke), Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Pediatric Physical Therapy : the Official Publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association
|September 11, 2018
PubMed

Insights

A fitness tracker and coaching intervention showed promise for increasing physical activity (PA) and reducing fatigue in children with brain tumors (BTs). This approach may improve quality of life for pediatric cancer patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Rehabilitation Science
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Children with brain tumors (BTs) frequently experience significant fatigue and diminished quality of life (QOL).
  • Physical activity (PA) is recognized as a crucial component of supportive care during and after cancer treatment for pediatric patients.
  • Interventions to enhance PA and mitigate treatment side effects in this population are essential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of a 12-week intervention combining fitness tracker technology with physical therapist (PT) coaching.
  • To determine if this intervention could increase PA levels and improve QOL and fatigue in children diagnosed with BTs.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 7- to 18-year-old children within two years of BT diagnosis participated.
  • The intervention involved a 12-week PA program utilizing a fitness tracker (Fitbit) and five PT coaching sessions.
  • PA (steps/day), QOL, and fatigue were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks.

Main Results:

  • While steps/day showed a nonsignificant increase, participants reported improvements in total fatigue, general fatigue, and sleep/rest subscales.
  • Quality of life and cognitive fatigue levels did not significantly change.
  • A positive correlation was observed between higher daily step counts and reduced fatigue levels.

Conclusions:

  • The fitness tracker and PT coaching intervention is feasible for children with BTs.
  • This intervention demonstrates potential for increasing PA and ameliorating fatigue in this vulnerable pediatric population.
  • Further research may explore optimizing this approach to enhance QOL outcomes.
Abstract

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