Physical Activity in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy.

Lisa Waltersson,Elisabet Rodby-Bousquet

doi:10.1155/2017/8080473

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the level of physical activity in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and to analyse its relationship with physical activity as adolescents, pain, and gross motor function. A prospective cohort study was performed using data from the Swedish National CP Registry (CPUP) for all 129 individuals born in 1991–1993 living in Skåne and Blekinge who reported to CPUP at 14–16 years of age. Physical activity as adult was analysed relative to physical activity as adolescents, pain, and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Seventy-one individuals at GMFCS I–V were followed up as adults and included in the analyses. Of these, 65% were physically active, but only 56% performed physical activity at least once a week. Their physical activity as adults differed relative to their physical activity as adolescents (p = 0.011) but not to pain or GMFCS. Being physically active as an adolescent doubled the probability of being active as an adult (OR 2.1; p = 0.054), indicating that physical activity in adults with CP is related to their physical activity as adolescents. Therefore, interventions to increase physical activity among adolescents with CP are likely also to improve physical activity in adulthood.

Highlights

The brain lesions causing cerebral palsy (CP) are nonprogressive, the symptoms change over time as a child grows and ages [1]
Many adults with CP experience a decrease in gross motor function, and 10% stop walking before 35 years of age [2,3,4]
The aim of the study was to examine the level of physical activity in young adults with CP and to analyse the extent to which this can be predicted by their physical activity as adolescents, their pain, and their gross motor function

Summary

Introduction

The brain lesions causing cerebral palsy (CP) are nonprogressive, the symptoms change over time as a child grows and ages [1]. Many adults with CP experience a decrease in gross motor function, and 10% stop walking before 35 years of age [2,3,4]. The pain is often located to joints with limited range of motion and the most common pain location is back and hip [5]. Both adolescents and adults with CP are less physically active than their typically developed peers and often do not achieve the recommended guidelines for physical activity [6, 7]. A reduced level of gross motor function is associated with lower participation in physical activities [9, 10]

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Conclusion