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Sports Activities in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Narrative Review
Domenico M Romeo1,2, Giulia D'Amario1,2, Giulia Brunozzi2
1Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Insights
Engaging in sports and physical activity significantly enhances motor function, quality of life, and coordination in children with cerebral palsy (CP). These activities should be integrated into clinical practice to support rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Sports Science
Background:
- Children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit reduced physical activity (PA) levels compared to typically developing peers.
- Lower PA in children with CP exacerbates sedentary habits, negatively impacting psychological well-being and motor skills.
- Adolescents and children with CP demonstrate lower participation rates in sports compared to their healthy counterparts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current knowledge on the efficacy and significance of tailored sports interventions for children with CP.
- To highlight the benefits of specific athletic pursuits for improving health outcomes in pediatric CP populations.
Main Methods:
- A narrative review methodology was employed.
- Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases.
- Search terms included "cerebral palsy," "sport," "physical activity," and specific sport names, with no date restrictions.
Main Results:
- Most sports interventions demonstrated positive effects on motor function, coordination, and overall quality of life for children and adolescents with CP.
- Evidence supports the beneficial impact of adapted sports on psychosocial well-being and cognitive performance.
Conclusions:
- Physicians, therapists, and parents should recognize and promote the advantages of sports participation for children with CP.
- Specific sports activities represent a valuable adjunct to conventional rehabilitation, meriting inclusion in standard clinical care.
Abstract:
Physical exercise is known to have beneficial effects on psychosocial well-being and cognitive performance. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) showed lower levels of physical activity (PA) than healthy children; this fact, in addition to the basic clinical condition, increased the sedentary habit with a psychological impact and motor impairment of these children. Furthermore, children and adolescents with CP are less committed to sports activities than typically developing children of the same age. The aim of the present narrative review was to increase the amount of knowledge regarding the effectiveness and importance of specific and individualized sports in children with CP. A comprehensive search of MED-LINE and EMBASE databases was performed, including specific search terms such as "cerebral palsy" combined with "sport", "physical activity", and the names of different sports. No publication date limits were set. We included studies with an age range of 0-18 years. The main results pointed out that most of the sports improved motor function, quality of life, and coordination in children and adolescents with CP. Physicians, therapists, and parents should become aware of the benefits of sports activities for this population of patients. Specific sports activities could be included as a usual indication in clinical practice in addition to rehabilitation treatment.
