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Power Training Combined With Interval Treadmill Training in Cerebral Palsy: An RCT
Noelle G Moreau1, Kristie F Bjornson2, Phil Hurvitz3
1Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Objectives:
Determine the effect of lower-extremity power training combined with interval treadmill training (PT3) on walking capacity and performance in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
Methods:
In this multisite, single-blinded randomized clinical trial, children with spastic, bilateral CP between ages 10 and 17 years were randomized to receive 24 sessions of either PT3 or traditional strength training combined with steady-state treadmill training (STT). Primary outcomes were normalized self-selected and fast gait speed and muscle power. Participants were assessed at baseline, immediate postintervention, 2-month post, and 6-month post.
Results:
Of 43 recruited participants (20 female participants; mean age 13.1 SD 2.2 years for PT3 group; mean age 13.8 SD 2.6 years for STT group), 38 were included in the final analyses. No differences between groups were observed for self-selected speed. PT3 had significantly greater change in fast speed from baseline to 2-month post compared with STT (adjusted mean difference [MD], 0.030; 95% CI, 0.002-0.059; P = .04). Change in muscle power from baseline to immediate post was significantly greater in the PT3 group (MD, 52.01; 95% CI, 5.63-98.39; P = .03). Stride rate intensity increased immediate post after PT3 (MD, 7.95; 95% CI, 0.45-15.95; P = .04).
Conclusions:
Power training combined with high-intensity interval treadmill training was superior to an equivalent dosage of traditional strength training combined with steady-state treadmill training for improving muscle power immediate post-training and fast gait speed 2-month post-training. Increases in stride rate intensity after PT3 were not maintained at follow-up time points.
