Your Therapy Source Magazine for Pediatric Therapists June2016 | Page 9

Endurance, Walking Capacity and Participation in
Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology published research comparing 17 adolescents
with spastic cerebral palsy to their typically developing peers to examine the relationship
between muscle endurance and subjectively reported fatigue, walking capacity, and
participation. For each participant, knee extensor muscle endurance was estimated from
individual load–endurance curves as the load corresponding to a 15-repetition maximum. The
Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale was used to subjectively
report fatigue. The Life-Habits questionnaire was used to investigate participation. Walking
capacity was evaluated with the 6-minute walk test. The results indicated the following:
muscle endurance related significantly to subjectively reported fatigue and walking capacity
in adolescents with cerebral palsy.
no relationship was found for adolescents with typical development with regards to
subjectively reported fatigue or walking capacity .
the 15-repetition maximum did not relate to participation in adolescents with cerebral palsy.
The researchers concluded that subjectively reported fatigue and reduced walking capacity in
adolescents with cerebral palsy are partially a result of lower muscle endurance of knee
extensors. They suggest training of muscle endurance to reduce fatigue and improve walking
capacity. Reduced muscle endurance did not have an effect on participation.
Reference: Eken, M. M., Houdijk, H., Doorenbosch, C. A. M., Kiezebrink, F. E. M., van
Bennekom, C. A. M., Harlaar, J. and Dallmeijer, A. J. (2016), Relations between muscle
endurance and subjectively reported fatigue, walking capacity, and participation in mildly
affected adolescents with cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. doi:
10.1111/dmcn.13083

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