Author: Karen J. Dodd, PhD, Nicholas Taylor, PhD, and Diane Damiano, PhD
Source: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, August, 2002, Volume 83, pages 1157-1164
In this review article, three noted academic physical therapists used electronic databases to find 23 articles written between 1966 and 2000 about strength training for people with cerebral palsy (CP). They then reviewed each article by describing its objectives, study design, participants, treatment given, outcomes measured, and conclusions.
Of these 23 articles, they found only 11 studies that met their standards for high quality research. This article summarizes their findings from those eleven studies.
Eight studies reported significant increases in strength as a result of a strength-training program, 2 studies reported improvement in activities, and one study reported improvement in how the participants viewed themselves in a positive fashion.
Of the 2 studies that measured spasticity, and four studies that measured range of motion, none reported decreased range of motion or worsened spasticity in any of the participants.
The authors concluded that these studies suggest that training can increase strength in people with CP without causing negative effects like contractures and spasticity.
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