Can a Lifestyle Intervention Improve Physical Fitness in Adolescents and Young Adults With Spastic Cerebral Palsy? A Randomized Controlled Trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate both the short- and long-term effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention on physical fitness in adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy (CP).DesignSingle-blind, randomized controlled trial.SettingUniversity hospitals and rehabilitation clinics.ParticipantsAdolescents and young adults (N=57) with spastic CP classified in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I through IV; of these, 42 completed the study.InterventionA 6-month lifestyle intervention consisting of physical fitness training combined with counseling sessions focused on physical behavior and sports participation.Main Outcome MeasuresPhysical fitness, including measures of cardiopulmonary fitness, muscle strength, and body composition.ResultsFavorable short- and medium-term effects were found for peak oxygen consumption, oxygen consumption, and load on the anaerobic threshold and waist circumference. Favorable long-term effects were found for sum of skinfolds, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol.ConclusionsThis exploratory study showed that the lifestyle intervention was effective in improving cardiopulmonary fitness and body composition. Effects of body composition were maintained in the long term. However, the intervention needs to be optimized to increase muscle strength and for long-term retention of effects on aerobic capacity.