Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 27, 2025
Adapted Resistance Training Improves Strength in Eight Weeks in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: January 29, 2016
Improvements in Muscle Strength Are Associated With Improvements in Walking Capacity in Young Children With Cerebral
Liesbeth F van Vulpen1, Sonja de Groot, Eugene A A Rameckers
1Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center/Reade (Drs van Vulpen and de Groot), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Centre for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen (Dr de Groot), Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI) (Dr Rameckers), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands, and Rehabilitation Science, University of Hasselt (Dr Rameckers), Hasselt, Belgium, and Adelante Center of Expertise in Rehabilitation and Audiology (Dr Rameckers), Valkenburg and Hoensbroek, the Netherlands, and University for Professionals for Pediatric Physical Therapy, AVANSplus (Dr Rameckers), Breda, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Drs Becher and Dallmeijer), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
Increased lower-limb muscle strength, particularly in hip abductors and gastrocnemius, significantly improves walking capacity in children with spastic cerebral palsy through functional power training.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric rehabilitation
- Neuromuscular biomechanics
- Clinical trials
Background:
- Spastic cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function, particularly walking capacity.
- Lower-limb muscle weakness is a primary contributor to impaired mobility in children with CP.
- Understanding the relationship between muscle strength and walking is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if improvements in lower-limb muscle strength explain enhanced walking capacity.
- To analyze these relationships during usual care, power training, and follow-up periods.
- To investigate specific muscle groups and their impact on different walking metrics.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of a double-baseline controlled trial involving 22 children with spastic CP.
- Utilized generalized estimating equations to assess within-subject changes.
- Examined relationships between isometric muscle strength and walking capacity over three distinct periods.
Main Results:
- Hip abductor strength changes correlated with Muscle Power Sprint Test improvements.
- Gastrocnemius and hip abductor strength changes linked to Shuttle Run Test performance.
- Gastrocnemius strength changes associated with 1-minute walk test improvements.
- All observed associations indicated that greater strength led to better walking capacity.
Conclusions:
- Functional power training can enhance walking capacity in children with spastic CP by increasing muscle strength.
- Targeting specific muscle groups like hip abductors and gastrocnemius may optimize sprint and endurance walking abilities.
- Strength gains are a key mechanism for improving functional mobility in this population.
Purpose:
To evaluate whether changes in lower-limb muscle strength explain changes in walking capacity during 14-week periods of usual care, power training and follow-up for children with spastic cerebral palsy.
Methods:
Secondary analysis of a previously conducted double-baseline controlled trial of 22 children with spastic cerebral palsy. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the relationships between within-subject changes in isometric muscle strength and walking capacity over 3 periods.
Results:
Changes in hip abductor strength were associated with changes in the Muscle Power Sprint Test, changes in gastrocnemius and hip abductor strength were associated with changes in the Shuttle Run Test, and changes in gastrocnemius strength were associated with changes in the 1-minute walk test. All associations supported better walking capacity with increased strength.
Conclusion:
Walking capacity, especially sprint capacity, can be improved by increasing strength by functional power training in this population.
