Article

OBJECTIVE: To compare daily stride rate activity, daily exercise intensity, and
heart rate intensity of stride rate in children with cerebral palsy with that of
typically developing children. METHODS: Forty-three children with cerebral palsy,
walking without (Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) I and II) or
with (GMFCS III) an aid and 27 typically developing children (age range 7-14
years) wore a StepWatch activity monitor and a heart rate monitor. Time spent and
mean heart rate reserve at each stride rate activity level and time spent in each
mean heart rate reserve zone was compared. RESULTS: Daily stride rate activity
was lower in children with cerebral palsy (39%, 49% and 79% in GMFCS I, II and
III, respectively) compared with typically developing children (p < 0.05), while
there were no differences in time spent at different mean heart rate reserve
zones. Mean heart rate reserve at all stride rate activity levels was not
different between typically developing children, GMFCS I and II, while mean heart
rate reserve was higher for GFMCS III at stride rates < 30 strides/min (p <
0.05). CONCLUSION: Stride rate activity levels reflect the effort of walking, in
children with cerebral palsy who are walking without aids, similar to that of
typically developing, whereas children with cerebral palsy using walking aids
show higher effort of walking. Despite a lower stride rate activity in cerebral
palsy, daily exercise intensity seems comparable, indicating that the StepWatch
monitor and the heart rate monitor measure different aspects of physical
activity.

Langue : ANGLAIS