Upper extremity resistance exercise with elastic bands for respiratory function in children with cerebral palsy.
Seung-Oh Shin, Nan-Soo Kim
PMID 29643576WHAT IT FOUND
Adding elastic band arm exercises to standard therapy did not significantly improve breathing capacity in children with cerebral palsy.
However, it did significantly increase grip strength and showed a trend toward better expiratory muscle strength, though the study was too small to confirm benefits.
Key findings
01Upper extremity resistance exercise significantly increased grip strength in the experimental group compared to baseline.
02Maximal expiratory pressure improved significantly in the experimental group, while it decreased in the control group.
03Primary respiratory measures like forced vital capacity and peak expiratory flow increased in the experimental group but did not reach statistical significance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (15 children), limiting the reliability of the findings. The study included children with GMFCS I-III, so results may not apply to those with more severe motor impairment. The authors noted that musculoskeletal deformities and chest asymmetry in this population may have hindered the respiratory improvements. The control group received standard neurodevelopmental treatment, so the specific contribution of the elastic band exercise versus the standard therapy is confounded by the concurrent delivery.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources were explicitly declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that elastic band exercises significantly improved overall pulmonary function. The primary measures like vital capacity showed trends but did not reach statistical significance, and the study was underpowered.