Physical Strain During Walking in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Construct Validity Study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Spastic cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function, affecting walking.
• Quantifying the physical strain of walking is crucial for understanding functional limitations in adults with CP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the physical strain associated with walking in adults with spastic CP.
• To validate physical strain as a measure using known-groups, convergent, and discriminant approaches.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 94 ambulatory adults with spastic CP.
• Measured peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), physical strain (%VO2peak), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go Test (mobility), and Quality of Life (QoL).

Main Results:

• Physical strain was significantly higher in individuals with lower Gross Motor Function Classification System levels.
• A strong inverse correlation was found between physical strain and 6MWT distance (r=-0.716).
• Weak-to-moderate associations were observed with functional mobility, and no significant association with QoL.

Conclusions:

• Physical strain during walking is a valid measure that inversely reflects walking capacity in adults with spastic CP.
• The findings support the clinical utility of assessing physical strain in adults with CP.
• Physical strain effectively differentiates between CP subgroups and correlates with functional mobility.