Award Date

5-2012

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

Advisor 1

Merrill Landers

First Committee Member

Jill Slaboda

Second Committee Member

Merrill Landers

Third Committee Member

Robbin Hickman

Fourth Committee Member

Janet Dufek

Number of Pages

34

Abstract

Background: Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common causes of motor disability in the U.S., but there is still a lack of consensus for best intervention strategies to improve function and gait efficiency.

Objective: Determine if ambulatory children with CP, exposed to a brief, high intensity training session, will: 1) experience changes in temporal-spatial gait characteristics 2) demonstrate increased gait speed and 3) demonstrate improved gait kinematics.

Design: Five participants walked at preferred and fast speeds over an instrumented walkway followed by a 15-minute intervention. After a short rest, post-intervention walking was completed.

Results: Ten dependent variables were extracted at each speed. A single subject statistical technique was used to examine pre-post characteristics. There were no significant differences identified for participant 1 and only minimal significant findings for participant 2. However, there were significant findings for several variables for participants 3-5 in both of the conditions, including greater stride velocity, reduced time in double limb support, and greater stride length.

Conclusion: Results suggest that a short bout of large amplitude training may cause immediate positive outcomes in some children with CP. Further investigation of intervention effects and presentation, including dose response and a more rigorous intervention protocol, is warranted.

Keywords

Cerebral palsied children -- Rehabilitation; Cerebral palsy -- Exercise therapy; Cerebral palsy -- Physical therapy; Exercise therapy for children; Movement disorders in children -- Exercise therapy

Disciplines

Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities | Kinesiology | Medicine and Health Sciences | Physical Therapy

File Format

pdf

File Size

451 Kb

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Comments

The authors would like to extend sincere gratitude to Jeffery McClellan, graduate student, Department of Kinesiology, UNLV.

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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