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Objective-To document the influence of age on step activity patterns in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically-developing (TD) children. Design-Cross-sectionalSetting-All step activity data were collected in free-living environments.Participants-Children with CP (n=27; 4 -18 years; 22 boys, 5 girls, Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I and II) and 27 age-and sex-matched TD children were recruited through public advertisements and contacts with local clinicians. CP and TD participants were stratified into younger (< 10 years; n = 14) and older (10-18 years; n = 13) age groups.Intervention-Daily step activity was monitored using a StepWatch Activity Monitor that was individually programmed to account for the gait characteristics of each participant.Step activity data were collected in 1-min epochs during waking hours on three weekdays and one weekend day. Stored data were analyzed to yield average values of daily step activity, percentage of inactive time (0 steps) over the entire day, and percentage of total daily active time spent in low step activity (1-15 steps/min), medium step activity (16-40 steps/min), and high step activity (> 40 steps/min).Main Outcome Measures-Daily step activity, percentage of inactive time, and percentage of active time spent in low-, moderate-, and high-intensity step activity.Results-A significant (p < .05) interaction was observed between age (younger, older) and condition (CP, TD) for daily step activity, percentage of inactive time, and percentage of active time spent in low-and high-intensity step activity. The main effect of age was significant for each physical activity measure except for relative high-intensity step activity and the main effect of condition was significant for all physical activity measures. Followup analyses (p < .025) revealed that older children with CP took fewer daily steps and displayed higher relative levels of inactivity © 2010 The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Correspondence to Sandy Stevens, MS, 4711 Timberhill Ct, Nashville, TN 37211, sstevens@tnstate.edu. Reprints are not available from the author. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.Presented to the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, September 17-20, 2008, Atlanta, GA. No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated. and low-intensity activity and lower rel...

Objective: To document the effects of underwater treadmill training (UTT) on leg strength, balance, and walking performance in adults with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). Design: Pre-test and post-test design. Setting: Exercise physiology laboratory. Participants: Adult volunteers with iSCI (n = 11). Intervention: Participants completed 8 weeks (3 × /week) of UTT. Each training session consisted of three walks performed at a personalized speed, with adequate rest between walks. Body weight support remained constant for each participant and ranged from 29 to 47% of land body weight. Increases in walking speed and duration were staggered and imposed in a gradual and systematic fashion. Outcome measures: Lower-extremity strength (LS), balance (BL), preferred and rapid walking speeds (PWS and RWS), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and daily step activity (DSA). Results: Significant (P < 0.05) increases were observed in LS (13.1 ± 3.1 to 20.6 ± 5.1 N·kg ), 6MWD (97 ± 80 to 177 ± 122 m), and DSA (593 ± 782 to 1310 ± 1258 steps) following UTT. Conclusion: Physical function and walking ability were improved in adults with iSCI following a structured program of UTT featuring individualized levels of body weight support and carefully staged increases in speed and duration. From a clinical perspective, these findings highlight the potential of UTT in persons with physical disabilities and diseases that would benefit from weight-supported exercise.

Level of EMT and hours of CE influence the level of comfort felt by EMTs when confronting a pediatric emergency. Specific CE requirements for topics in pediatric emergency medicine should be considered for all EMTs.

In adults with iSCI, progressively greater absolute and relative reductions in submaximal exercise heart rate occurred after 2 months of UTT featuring a systematic increase in training volume.