Article

Physical therapy for youth with cerebral palsy (CP) who are
ambulatory includes interventions to increase functional mobility and
participation in physical activity (PA). Thus, reliable and valid measures are
needed to document PA in youth with CP.
The purpose of this study was
to evaluate the inter-instrument reliability and concurrent validity of 3
accelerometer-based motion sensors with indirect calorimetry as the criterion for
measuring PA intensity in youth with CP. METHODS: Fifty-seven youth with CP (mean
age=12.5 years, SD=3.3; 51% female; 49.1% with spastic hemiplegia) participated.
Inclusion criteria were: aged 6 to 20 years, ambulatory, Gross Motor Function
Classification System (GMFCS) levels I through III, able to follow directions,
and able to complete the full PA protocol. Protocol activities included
standardized activity trials with increasing PA intensity (resting, writing,
household chores, active video games, and walking at 3 self-selected speeds), as
measured by weight-relative oxygen uptake (in mL/kg/min). During each trial,
participants wore bilateral accelerometers on the upper arms, waist/hip, and
ankle and a portable indirect calorimeter. Intraclass coefficient correlations
(ICCs) were calculated to evaluate inter-instrument reliability (left-to-right
accelerometer placement). Spearman correlations were used to examine concurrent
validity between accelerometer output (activity and step counts) and indirect
calorimetry. Friedman analyses of variance with post hoc pair-wise analyses were
conducted to examine the validity of accelerometers to discriminate PA intensity
across activity trials. RESULTS: All accelerometers exhibited excellent
inter-instrument reliability (ICC=.94-.99) and good concurrent validity
(rho=.70-.85). All accelerometers discriminated PA intensity across most activity
trials. LIMITATIONS: This PA protocol consisted of controlled activity trials.
CONCLUSIONS: Accelerometers provide valid and reliable measures of PA intensity
among youth with CP.
CI - (c) 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Langue : ANGLAIS