A critical appraisal of "Improved walking capacity and muscle strength after functional power-training in young children with cerebral palsy"

Spastic Cerebral Palsy (CP) can increase lower-limb spasticity, decrease strength, and result in the loss in sensitivity therefore affecting a child's walking capacity and muscle strength compared to typical developing (TD) children. Anywhere from 60-70% of children with CP are enrolled in public schools and recreational activities and therefore must be able to participate in the same manner as TD children. In this study, both walking capacity and muscle strength were improved using high velocity power-training techniques in a physical therapy clinic by incorporating functional exercises in the form of a game. The key difference between this intervention and others done in the clinic is that high velocity movement was used. Such movement is more functionally appropriate. The outline of this appraisal breaks this study into its individual components (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) first discussing each component's strengths and then subsequently their weaknesses. The many strengths of this study, as a whole, supports the use of a high velocity power-training intervention for children with spastic CP.