The effect of an integrated perceived competence and motor intervention in children with developmental coordination disorder.

Background And Aims: Children with DCD have lower self-perceptions and are less physically active than typically developing children. The aim of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate whether an integrated perceived competence and motor intervention affects DCD children's motor performance, self-perceptions, and physical activity compared with a motor intervention only.

Methods And Procedures: The intervention group consisted of 20 children and the care-as-usual group consisted of 11 children, all aged 7-10 years.

The change in perceived motor competence and motor task values during elementary school: A longitudinal cohort study.

Participation in motor activities is essential for social interaction and life satisfaction in children. Self-perceptions and task values have a central position in why children do or do not participate in (motor) activities. Investigating developmental changes in motor self-perceptions and motor task values in elementary school children would provide vital information about their participation in motor activities.

Exercise oxidative skeletal muscle metabolism in adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

What is the central question of this study? Do intrinsic abnormalities in oxygenation and/or muscle oxidative metabolism contribute to exercise intolerance in adolescents with mild cystic fibrosis? What is the main finding and its importance? This study found no evidence that in adolescents with mild cystic fibrosis in a stable clinical state intrinsic abnormalities in skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism seem to play a clinical significant role. Based on these results, we concluded that there is no metabolic constraint to benefit from exercise training. Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are reported to have limited exercise capacity.

Estimating peak oxygen uptake in adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

Objectives: To predict peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) from the peak work rate (W peak) obtained during a cycle ergometry test using the Godfrey protocol in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF), and assess the accuracy of the model for prognostication clustering.

Methods: Out of our database of anthropometric, spirometric and maximal exercise data from adolescents with CF (N=363; 140 girls and 223 boys; age 14.77 ± 1.

The Steep Ramp Test in Dutch white children and adolescents: age- and sex-related normative values.

Background: The Steep Ramp Test (SRT), a feasible, reliable, and valid exercise test on a cycle ergometer, may be more appealing for use in children in daily clinical practice than the traditional cardiopulmonary exercise test because of its short duration, its resemblance to children's daily activity patterns, and the fact that it does not require respiratory gas analysis.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to provide sex- and age-related normative values for SRT performance in Dutch white children and adolescents who were healthy and 8 to 19 years old.

Design: This was a cross-sectional, observational study.

Prediction of gross motor development and independent walking in infants born very preterm using the Test of Infant Motor Performance and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.

Background: One objective of a neonatal follow-up program is to examine and predict gross motor outcome of infants born preterm.

Aims: To assess the concurrent validity of the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), the ability to predict gross motor outcome around 15 months corrected age (CA), and to explore factors associated with the age of independent walking.

Methods: 95 infants, born at a gestational age <30 weeks, were assessed around 3, 6 and 15 months CA.

Clinical course of asymmetric motor performance and deformational plagiocephaly in very preterm infants.

Objectives: To describe the clinical courses of positional preference and deformational plagiocephaly up to 6 months corrected age (CA) in infants born at gestational age <30 weeks or birth weight <1000 g, and to explore predictive factors for the persistence of these phenomena.

Study Design: A total of 120 infants were examined 3 times each. The presence of deformational plagiocephaly and a score of 0-6 on an asymmetry performance scale served as outcome measures at 6 months CA.

Measurement of clinically relevant functional health perceptions in patients with whiplash-associated disorders: the development of the whiplash specific activity and participation list (WAL).

Purpose: The International Classification of Human Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) provides insight into functional health status in patients with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). In the assessment of functional limitations in patients with WAD, there are several condition-specific questionnaires available. Estimation of the true relationship between the separate constructs of the ICF is only possible if the items of the salient questionnaires measure exactly the constructs of interest, while not simultaneously measuring other constructs of the model.

Content validity of the Dutch version of the Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire.

Objective: Mechanical neck pain is a common human phenomenon. In most cases, no patho-anatomical lesion can be identified with the limitations of current radiological imaging. Therefore it is preferable to assess patients with neck pain with a focus on functioning and health, within a biopsychosocial model.

Functional limitations in Romanian children with haemophilia: further testing of psychometric properties of the Paediatric Haemophilia Activities List.

Children with haemophilia often experience limitations in activities of daily life. Recently the Paediatric Haemophilia Activities List (PedHAL) has been developed and tested in Dutch children with intensive replacement therapy. The psychometric properties of the PedHAL in children not receiving intensive replacement therapy are not known.

Preoperative physical therapy for elective cardiac surgery patients.

Background: After cardiac surgery, physical therapy is a routine procedure delivered with the aim of preventing postoperative pulmonary complications.

Objectives: To determine if preoperative physical therapy with an exercise component can prevent postoperative pulmonary complications in cardiac surgery patients, and to evaluate which type of patient benefits and which type of physical therapy is most effective.

Search Methods: Searches were run on the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) on the Cochrane Library (2011, Issue 12 ); MEDLINE (1966 to 12 December 2011); EMBASE (1980 to week 49, 2011); the Physical Therapy Evidence Database (PEDro) (to 12 December 2011) and CINAHL (1982 to 12 December 2011).

The steep ramp test in healthy children and adolescents: reliability and validity.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the steep ramp test (SRT), a feasible, maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer that does not require the use of respiratory gas analysis, in healthy children and adolescents.

Methods: Seventy-five children were randomly divided in a reliability group (n = 37, 17 boys and 20 girls; mean ± SD age = 13.86 ± 3.

Determinants of participation in patients with severe haemophilia.

The multifactorial nature of disability makes it difficult to point out a specific cause for limitations in participation. The conceptual framework of the WHO-ICF (International Classification of Function, Disability and Health) was used to study the determinants participation in patients with severe haemophilia. Outcome was assessed in a single-centre cohort of 124 patients with severe haemophilia.

Active head lifting from supine in early infancy: an indicator for non-optimal cognitive outcome in late infancy.

Aim: To explore whether active head lifting from supine (AHLS) in early infancy is associated with cognitive outcome in the second year of life.

Method: The presence of AHLS was always recorded in the notes of infants admitted to our tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. Random sampling was used to pair infants with AHLS with two comparison infants without AHLS whose sex, gestational age, birth year (1993-2009), time of assessment, and developmental test (Griffiths Mental Development Scales, Mental Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II, or cognitive subtest of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III) were comparable.

The effectiveness of graded activity in patients with non-specific low-back pain: a systematic review.

Background: Non-specific low-back pain (LBP) is considered a major health and economic problem in Western society. Nowadays a common used intervention on non-specific LBP is graded activity (GA). Graded Activity developed by Lindström et al.

Prevalence and predictors of idiopathic asymmetry in infants born preterm.

Background: An idiopathic asymmetry in posture of the head is recognized as a risk factor to develop a deformational plagiocephaly (DP). In our neonatal follow-up clinic, an IA is often observed in infants born preterm at term-equivalent age (TEA).

Aims: To explore (1) the prevalence of an idiopathic asymmetry in 192 infants (gestational age ≤32.

Joint health and functional ability in children with haemophilia who receive intensive replacement therapy.

Joint physical examination is an important outcome in haemophilia; however its relationship with functional ability is not well established in children with intensive replacement therapy. Boys aged 4-16 years were recruited from two European and three North American treatment centres. Joint physical structure and function was measured with the Haemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS) while functional ability was measured with the revised Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ₃₈.

Habitual physical activity in Dutch children and adolescents with haemophilia.

For patients with haemophilia, a physically active lifestyle is important to maintain musculoskeletal health and to prevent chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. Therefore, we studied physical activity levels, in Dutch children and adolescents with haemophilia as well as its association with aerobic fitness and joint health. Forty-seven boys with haemophilia (aged 8-18) participated.

Idiopathic toe-walking in children, adolescents and young adults: a matter of local or generalised stiffness?

Background: Idiopathic Toe Walking (ITW) is present in children older than 3 years of age still walking on their toes without signs of neurological, orthopaedic or psychiatric diseases. ITW has been estimated to occur in 7% to 24% of the childhood population. To study associations between Idiopathic Toe Walking (ITW) and decrease in range of joint motion of the ankle joint.

Randomized controlled study of home-based treadmill training for ambulatory children with spina bifida.

Background: Many ambulatory children with spina bifida (SB) decline in their walking despite stable or even improved motor function.

Objective: The authors evaluated the effects of a home-based treadmill training program on both ambulatory function and aerobic fitness.

Methods: This randomized clinical trial of 34 ambulatory children with SB allocated 18 to supervised treadmill training for 12 weeks at home and 14 to usual care.

Decreasing incidence and severity of cerebral palsy in prematurely born children.

Objective: To examine incidence and severity of cerebral palsy (CP), and associated factors among preterm survivors (gestational age <34 weeks), admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit from 1990-2005.

Study Design: Eighteen antenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors were analyzed. The cohort was divided in four birth periods: 1990-1993 (n=661), 1994-1997 (n=726), 1998-2001 (n=723), and 2002-2005 (n=850).

Supramaximal verification of peak oxygen uptake in adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

Purpose: To study whether peak oxygen uptake ((Equation is included in full-text article VO₂ peak), attained in traditional cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF), could be verified by a supramaximal exercise test.

Methods: Sixteen adolescents with CF (forced expiratory volume in 1 second as % of predicted [range, 45%-117%]) volunteered and successively performed CPET and a supramaximal test (Steep Ramp Test [SRT] protocol).

Results: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and the SRT resulted in comparable cardiorespiratory peak values.

The Utrecht approach to exercise in chronic childhood conditions: the decade in review.

Purpose: To summarize and discuss current evidence and understanding of clinical pediatric exercise physiology focusing on the work the research group at Utrecht and others have performed in the last decade in a variety of chronic childhood conditions as a continuation of the legacy of Dr Bar-Or.

Key Points: The report discusses current research findings on the cardiopulmonary exercise performance of children (and adolescents) with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, osteogenesis imperfecta, achondroplasia, hemophilia, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, cystic fibrosis, and childhood cancer. Exercise recommendations and contraindications are provided for each condition.

Reproducibility of maximal and submaximal exercise testing in "normal ambulatory" and "community ambulatory" children and adolescents with spina bifida: which is best for the evaluation and application of exercise training?

Background: With emerging interest in exercise and lifestyle interventions for children and adolescents with spina bifida, there is a need for appropriate measurements in exercise testing.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess both reliability and agreement of maximal and submaximal exercise measures in "normal ambulatory" and "community ambulatory" children and adolescents with spina bifida.

Design: This was a reproducibility study.