Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2025
Enhancing the Development and Growth of Infant Cerebral Palsy Rats Using Selective Spinal Manipulations
Published on: February 2, 2024
The effects of power exercises on body structure and function, activity and participation in children with cerebral
Ozgun Kaya Kara1, Ceren Gursen2, Sebahat Yaprak Cetin1
1Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
Insights
Power exercises significantly improve gross motor function, walking speed, muscle strength, and daily activities in children with cerebral palsy (CP) compared to standard physical therapy. Further research is needed to explore participation outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Exercise Science
- Neurology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) presents significant physical and functional challenges for children and adolescents.
- Optimizing rehabilitation strategies is crucial for improving outcomes in this population.
- The role of power exercise interventions requires systematic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature for evidence on the effectiveness of power exercises in children and adolescents with CP.
- To assess the impact of power exercises on physical, physiological, and functional outcomes.
- To categorize outcome measures using the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) framework.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review assessing methodological quality using Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) Tools and Modified Bakker Scale.
- Categorization of outcome measures including muscle strength, gait, balance, motor function, fitness, daily living, mobility, and participation.
- Synthesis of evidence from randomized clinical trials.
Main Results:
- Moderate evidence indicates power exercises enhance walking speed, activities of daily living, muscle strength, and gross motor function more than routine physical therapy.
- Methodological quality varied, with four trials having low RoB, one with concerns, and two with high RoB.
- Limited evidence exists for improvements in muscle architecture, muscle function, walking capacity, and mobility.
Conclusions:
- Power training demonstrates potential to improve key functional outcomes in children with CP beyond traditional physical therapy.
- Variations in training protocols and outcome measurement may explain the lack of stronger evidence for certain parameters.
- Future research should prioritize child and family-centered participation goals and standardized power training methodologies.
Purpose:
To systematically review the literature for evidence of effectiveness of power exercises on physical, physiological, and functional outcomes in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP).
Materials And Methods:
Methodological quality and evidence synthesis were assessed with using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) Tools and Modified Bakker Scale. Using the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), outcome measures for muscle agriculture, gait, balance, motor function, aerobic/anaerobic fitness, daily living, mobility, and school participation were categorised.
Results:
The overall RoB of four randomised clinical trials was low, one had some concerns and two were rated as high. Moderate evidence was found that power exercises increased walking speed, activities of daily living, muscle strength, and enhanced gross motor function more than a routine physical therapy program.
Conclusions:
The lack of stronger evidence for power training interventions to improve muscle architecture, muscle function, walking capacity, and mobility in children with CP might be explained by the differences in training protocols and degree to which these meet the physiological definition of power, different methods of measuring power, limited durations of training, and the relative effectiveness of control interventions. Future studies should include a stronger focus on child and family-centred participation goals.Implications For RehabilitationPower training can improve gross motor function, walking speed, muscle strength, and activities of daily living more than routine physical therapy.Results comparing power training versus traditional strength training were less pronounced likely because both are intensive and may have positive effects.More research is needed to investigate effects of power training on participation.
