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Wearable Adaptive Resistance Training Improves Ankle Strength, Walking Efficiency and Mobility in Cerebral Palsy: A
Benjamin C Conner1, Nushka M Remec1, Elizabeth K Orum1
1B. C. Conner is with the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA. N. M. Remec is with Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA. E. K. Orum and E. M. Frank are with the College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. Z. F. Lerner is with the Mechanical Engineering Department, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA and also the Department of Orthopedics, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Insights
Wearable adaptive resistance training significantly improved walking speed, efficiency, and mobility in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This novel therapy showed functional gains 3-6 times faster than previously reported methods.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Science
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function, particularly walking ability, in children.
- Current rehabilitation strategies often yield slow functional improvements.
- Novel therapeutic approaches are needed to accelerate gains in mobility for children with CP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of wearable adaptive resistance training for enhancing walking ability in pediatric cerebral palsy.
- To assess the speed and magnitude of functional improvements using this novel intervention.
Main Methods:
- Six children with spastic cerebral palsy (GMFCS levels I-II) participated in the study.
- Participants completed ten 20-minute training sessions over four weeks using a wearable adaptive resistance device.
- Outcomes measured included strength, walking speed, metabolic cost of transport, Timed Up and Go (TUG), and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT).
Main Results:
- Significant increases were observed in plantar flexor strength (17%).
- Preferred walking speed on a treadmill increased by 39%.
- Metabolic cost of transport improved by 33%, with enhanced performance in TUG and 6MWT (11% and 13% respectively).
Conclusions:
- Wearable adaptive resistance training rapidly improved walking speed, reduced metabolic cost, and enhanced mobility in children with CP.
- The intervention demonstrated functional improvements 3-6 times faster than previously reported rates.
- This novel therapy shows potential for transformative effects on mobility in pediatric cerebral palsy.
Goal:
To determine the efficacy of wearable adaptive resistance training for rapidly improving walking ability in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
Methods:
Six children with spastic CP (five males, one female; mean age 14y 11mo; three hemiplegic, three diplegic; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I and II) underwent ten, 20-minute training sessions over four weeks with a wearable adaptive resistance device. Strength, speed, walking efficiency, timed up and go (TUG), and six-minute walk test (6MWT) were used to measure training outcomes.
Results:
Participants showed increased average plantar flexor strength (17 ± 8%, p = 0.02), increased preferred walking speed on the treadmill (39 ± 25%, p = 0.04), improved metabolic cost of transport (33 ± 9%, p = 0.03), and enhanced performance on the timed up and go (11 ± 9%, p = 0.04) and six-minute walk test (13 ± 9%, p = 0.04).
Conclusions:
The observed increase in preferred walking speed, reduction in metabolic cost of transport, and improved performance on clinical tests of mobility highlights the potentially transformative nature of this novel therapy; the rate at which this intervention elicited improved function was 3 - 6 times greater than what has been reported previously.
