Power Training For Children/Athletes With Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a diagnosis a child may receive in the event of blood oxygen restriction to the brain, or a brain injury in utero, during birth, or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy often impacts, on a wide spectrum, a child's motor skills, fine motor skills, and potentially communication, feeding, and toileting needs.

Means of classifying cerebral palsy include (3):

• Severity Level

• Topographical Region

• Motor Function

• Gross Motor Function Classification System

As a physical therapist, I often see children with cerebral palsy The child may see if me if they are demonstrating motor delays, balance challenges, gait (walking) deviations like in-toeing, strength concerns, or post operative if a procedure was complete. Again, these challenges can occur on a HUGE spectrum.

A typical therapy session might include:

• Power training for lower extremities and upper extremities

  Sled push variations: sled, scooter board with sibling on it, weighted laundry basket, weighted Tonka truck.

  Step ups: obstacle course format, med ball toss to rebounder

  Squats: With a med ball pass , on a BOSU with a med ball toss,

  Jumping: double leg jumps for height or distance, from an elevated surface, hopscotch, speed ladder.

  • Power training has been shown to increase gait speed and functional movement patterns in children with cerebral palsy (1,2)

• Functional Grip and Reaching:

  Rope ladder - cueing for reciprocal movement

  Climbing wall

  Prone on scooter board - surfboard style adventure

  Playdough rolling and squeezing

• Balance

  Obstacle course

  Pass of ring to foot to hand

  single and tandem balance variations

• Cross body coordination

  Crawling through tunnel

  Reciprocal pulling of rope seated on scooter

  Yoga cards

  Jumping patterns

  Passing ring foot to opposite hand

  
  

  When exploring treatment options for your child, consider the below resource:

  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32086598/ (4)

1. Hedgecock JB, Harris NM, Rapport MJ. Changing Practice: Clinical Application of Resistance Training Evidence for Children With Cerebral Palsy. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2023 Jul 1;35(3):367-376. doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000001023. PMID: 37289202.

2. Kara OK, Gursen C, Cetin SY, Tascioglu EN, Muftuoglu S, Damiano DL. The effects of power exercises on body structure and function, activity and participation in children with cerebral palsy: an ICF-based systematic review. Disabil Rehabil. 2023 Nov;45(22):3705-3718. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2138575. Epub 2022 Oct 31. PMID: 36314560.

3. Ferluga ED, Archer KR, Sathe NA, et al. Interventions for Feeding and Nutrition in Cerebral Palsy [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2013 Mar. (Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 94.) Table 1, CP classification systems used and understood by qualified medical practitioners* Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK132431/table/introduction.t1/

4. Novak I, Morgan C, Fahey M, Finch-Edmondson M, Galea C, Hines A, Langdon K, Namara MM, Paton MC, Popat H, Shore B, Khamis A, Stanton E, Finemore OP, Tricks A, Te Velde A, Dark L, Morton N, Badawi N. State of the Evidence Traffic Lights 2019: Systematic Review of Interventions for Preventing and Treating Children with Cerebral Palsy. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2020 Feb 21;20(2):3. doi: 10.1007/s11910-020-1022-z. PMID: 32086598; PMCID: PMC7035308.