Effects of 12-week aquatic exercises on gross motor function, swimming skills and walking ability in children with cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood defined as a group of permanent disorders of movement. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of 12-week aquatic exercise program on gross motor function, swimming skills, and walking ability in children with cerebral palsy. METHODS: Eighteen children (Mean ± SD age: 12.3 ± 3 years) with cerebral palsy classified at Levels I, II and III on the Gross Motor Function Classification System were allocated to one group, where the first 12 weeks were a control period while another 12 weeks were an experimental period. The participants underwent the same battery of tests focusing gross motor function, swimming skills, and walking ability on three occasions. RESULTS: Control period was stable with no significant changes in any of measurements. After the 12-week experimental program, a statistically significant improvement was determined in gross motor function (p=0.005), swimming skills (p=0.000), walking endurance and walking (p=0.000). No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed for walking efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: The 12-week aquatic exercise program (3/week, 60 minutes), combining Halliwick method, swimming and walking activities may improve the gross motor function, swimming skills, walking endurance and velocity in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy.

The effect of aquatic intervention on the gross motor function and aquatic skills in children with cerebral palsy.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of an aquatic intervention on the gross motor function and aquatic skills of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Twenty-nine children with CP, aged 5 to 14, were recruited. Fourteen children completed an aquatic intervention (EG), and 13 children served as controls (CG). Two participants dropped out due to events (illness) unrelated to the intervention. The aquatic intervention lasted 6 weeks (2 sessions per week at 55 minutes per session) with a follow-up period of 3 weeks. The outcome measures were the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) for motor function and the Water Orientation Test Alyn 2 (WOTA 2) for aquatic skills assessment. A significant improvement was observed in the secondary assessment of GMFM and WOTA 2. In contrast to the aquatic skills improvement, the GMFM change was not maintained at follow-up. Our results indicate that children with CP can improve gross motor function on dry land and aquatic skills with a 6-week water intervention. The intervention period was too short for sustainable improvement in dry-land motor skills after intervention (follow-up), but time was sufficient to achieve sustainable improvements in aquatic skills.

Functional abilities as a predictor of specific motor skills of young water polo players.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of functional abilities on specificmotor skills. A total number of 92 male water polo players (age 12±0.5 years, body height 156.96±22.3 cm, body weight 51.02±33.18 kg) with at least two years' experience, were enrolled in the study. The investigation protocol consisted of standardized anthropometric measurements, estimation of maximum oxygen uptake, determination of the lung function values, specific swim tests and swim tests with a ball. The factor analysis was used for the estimation of the structure of specific motor skills. The influence of functional abilities on specific motor skills was estimated by regression analysis. Out of 15 correlations in total between the variables of space of functional abilities of water polo players, 6 were significant at the level of 95% (between the variables of aerobic power and lung function) and all of the correlations (15) between the variables of specific motor skills in water polo players were significant at the 99% level. Only one principal component, the General factor of specific motor skills in water polo (GFSWP) was obtained by way of factorization of the tests of specific motor skills, so the GFSWP represents the latent space of specific motor skills as a criterion. The regression analysis showed that functional abilities (as group predictors) (p= 0.00) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (as a separate variable) have a significant influence on GFSWP (the criterion). The results of the study pointed out the impact of functional abilities on specific motor skills of selected young water polo players. This may be important for the selection and effective coaching in the early period of training and can affect the development of more appropriate and specific training programmes for optimal physical fitness preparation in young water polo players.

Oxidative stress biomarker response to concurrent strength and endurance training.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of concurrent training on oxidative stress biomarkers in judokas, as well as to compare the effects of such training on performance characteristics in relation to usual training programs. A total number of 14 male judokas were divided into two groups: experimental (E) and control (C). Over 12 weeks, subjects from E group were included into specially designed training composed of concurrent strength and endurance training and perfecting of specific judo techniques. Subjects from C group were included into the same strength training and perfecting of specific judo techniques, but did not have any endurance training. The investigation protocol consisted of Wingate test for the upper extremities, estimation of maximum oxygen uptake, the assessment of body composition, special judo fitness test and determination of selected markers of oxidative stress. The results obtained suggest that usual training program pattern had no effects on oxidative stress levels in C group subjects, while concurrently performed training for strength and endurance induces the increases in anaerobic power and maximal oxygen uptake, but also affects oxidative stress biomarkers. A significant increase in erythrocyte malondialdehyde and plasma catalase can be considered negative effects of this training program.