Article

OBJECTIVES: To assess the reproducibility and validity of the 6-minute walk test
(6MWT) with gas collection, and to evaluate effectiveness of a walking program in
children with cerebral palsy (CP). DESIGN: Assessment and controlled training
study. SETTING: Rehabilitation service. PARTICIPANTS: Children/adolescents with
CP (N=24; 12 boys, 12 girls; mean age, 14.2+/-2.0 y, Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I and II). INTERVENTION: After a cycle-ergometer
stress test and the 6MWT, subjects were assigned to training (n=12, 40 min of
moderate walking exercise 3 times per week for 8 wk) or a matched control group
(n=12). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)peak), peak
ventilation, peak heart rate, and 6MWT distance.
RESULTS: Test-retest
correlations for the 6MWT were good (VO(2)peak: r=.90, P<.001, intraclass
correlation coefficient [ICC]=.85; peak ventilation: r=.88, P<.001, ICC=.83; peak
heart rate: r=.86, P<.001, ICC=.82; distance walked: r=.87, P=.007, ICC=.80).
Mean scores for the 6MWT also closely matched corresponding cycle-ergometer data.
Significant improvements in 6MWT VO(2)peak, peak ventilation, and peak heart rate
were found after 8 weeks of training (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: The 6MWT appears
reproducible and valid relative to cycle-ergometer assessments of
cardiorespiratory responses, and offers a simple method of clinical assessment.
An 8-week moderate walking program improves the cardiopulmonary fitness of
children with CP, as measured by 6MWT.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS