Anaerobic performance in children with cerebral palsy compared to children with typical development.

Purpose: Using a locomotor-based field test of anaerobic performance, this study compared the anaerobic performance of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) who walk without support with that of peers who are typically developing.

Methods: The Muscle Power Sprint Test was performed by 159 children with CP (102 boys, mean age 9.7 ± 1.5 years; and 57 girls, mean age 9.5 ± 1.6 years) classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System level I (n = 115) or level II (n = 44) and 376 children with typical development (175 boys, mean age 8.9 ± 1.8 years; and 201 girls, mean age 9.0 ± 1.7 years).

Results: The anaerobic performance of the children with CP was lower than that of peers with typical development.

Conclusions: The difference between the 2 groups increased with height, especially for the children with CP classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System level II. Children with CP appear to have impaired anaerobic performance.