Physical Activity Among Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy: An Integrative Review

• Correcting the decline of physical activity in adolescents with CP may carry benefits over into adulthood.
• Family-centered care, home and community based, and individualized interventions may improve participation in physical activity.
• The perspective of the older adolescent in transition needs to be better understood.
• More studies with strong research designs and better instruments will help generalize results for practice.

ProblemPhysical activity is necessary for optimum physical and psychosocial health in the general population. It is even more important for adolescents who struggle with impairments that limit motor function. Recommendations for best practice are needed as adolescents transition into adulthood.PurposeAn integrative review was performed to determine the state of the science regarding 1) what factors impact physical activity in adolescents with cerebral palsy, and 2) how the needs of this population have been addressed regarding physical activity.Search StrategyA literature search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PubMed was conducted using the terms cerebral palsy, mobility or activity, and adolescents. Exclusion criteria were surgical or pharmacological interventions.Results of the Literature SearchDescriptive and intervention studies were included and evaluated for purpose, design, and key findings.Synthesis of EvidenceCorrecting the decline of physical activity in adolescents with CP may carry benefits over into adulthood. There are few studies that adapt physical activity to age and level of impairment. Several studies support approaching physical activity from a social model, focusing on participation of the person in the context of environment. There is a lack of research incorporating family-centered care. Many study designs are shallow and lack the proper instruments for assessing outcomes.Implications for PracticeHome and community based interventions need to be developed that are individualized. More studies are needed with stronger research designs and better instruments in order to generalize results for practice.