Abstract
Sedentary behavior (SB) is a common problem that may produce health issues in people with cerebral palsy (CP). When added to a progressive reduction in motor functions over time, SB can lead to higher percentages of body fat, muscle stiffness and associated health issues in this population. Regular physical activity (RPA) may prevent the loss of motor skills and reduce health risks. In this work, we analyzed data collected from 40 people (20 children and teenagers, and 20 adults) who attend two specialist centers in Seville to obtain an up-to-date picture regarding the practice of RPA in people with CP. Roughly 60% of the participants showed mostly mid/severe mobility difficulties, while 38% also had communicative issues. Most of the participants performed light-intensity physical activity (PA) at least once or twice a week and, in the majority of cases, had a neutral or positive attitude to exercising. In the Asociación Sevillana de Parálisis Cerebral (ASPACE) sample test, the higher the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the higher the percentage of negative responses to doing exercise. Conversely, in the Centro Específico de Educación Especial Mercedes Sanromá (CEEEMS), people likes PA but slightly higher ratios of positive responses were found at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels V and II, agreeing with the higher personal engagement of people at those levels. We have also performed a literature review regarding RPA in CP and the use of low-cost equipment. As a conclusion, we found that RPA produces enormous benefits for health and motor functions, whatever its intensity and duration. Costless activities such as walking, running or playing sports; exercises requiring low-cost equipment such as elastic bands, certain smartwatches or video-games; or therapies with animals, among many others, have all demonstrated their suitability for such a purpose.
Highlights
The survey revealed that most people with cerebral palsy (CP) did not fulfill the recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for regular physical activity (RPA) in terms of frequency and accrued time
We found that motivation was the only variable that had any influence on participation in physical activity (PA)
We hypothesized that the main reason for this difference is that the centers assist people who have a greater need for specialized attention
Summary
Technological solutions are often required to help people with disabilities to become less dependent and improve their quality of life (QoL), which does not just involve aspects such as communication through human-machine interaction (HMI); it covers other issues related, for example, to health and wellness, where regular physical activity (RPA), as part of a rehabilitative program or a daily routine, is a noteworthy example. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), when people conduct RPA, the risk of suffering from cardiopathies, diabetes, high blood pressure, breast and colon cancers diminishes [1].
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