Affiliations: Department of Physical Therapy, The University of
Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA | Children's Health System, Birmingham, AL, USA | Department of Physical Therapy, The University of
Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Jennifer Braswell Christy, PT, PhD,
Department of Physical Therapy, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, SHPB
332. 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. Tel.: +1 205 934 5903;
Fax: +1 205 975 7787; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Purpose: To determine the effect of an intense physical therapy
intervention on gross motor function, community walking and participation in
children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: A single group design was
used with two pre-test and two post-test measures. Subjects were 17 ambulatory
children with CP who participated in an intense intervention (i.e. four hours
per day, five days per week, three weeks), a modified version of the
TheraSuit™ protocol. Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66), Step
Watch Activity Monitor (SAM), Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)
and Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) were tested twice at
baseline, immediately following the intervention, and three months later. Results: Immediately following the intervention, GMFM-66, COPM and PODCI
scores improved significantly (p< 0.001). At three months, improvements
remained for GMFM-66 and COPM (p< 0.01). Walking amount or intensity (SAM)
did not improve. Conclusions: Participants improved gross motor skills
and participation but not community ambulation following this intense physical
therapy intervention.
