Is the Walking Adaptability Ladder test for Kids (WAL-K) reliable and valid in ambulatory children with Cerebral Palsy?

PURPOSE: Walking adaptability is essential for children to participate in daily life. We studied whether the Walking Adaptability Ladder test for Kids (WAL-K) is reliable and valid for assessing walking adaptability in 6-12 year old ambulatory children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six children with CP (26 GMFCS-level I, 10 GMFCS-level II) completed the single and double run of the WAL-K. Intra- and inter-rater reliability were determined by Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs). Construct validity was determined by comparing WAL-K scores between 122 typically developing (TD) and CP children taking age into account, comparing WAL-K scores between CP children in GMFCS-levels I and II, and correlating WAL-K scores with scores of the 10 times 5 m Sprint Test (10 × 5mST). RESULTS: ICCs for reliability varied between 0.997 and 1.000. WAL-K scores were significantly higher (i.e., worse) in CP children compared to TD children (p < 0.001), and in children in GMFCS-level II compared to GMFCS-level I (p = 0.001). Significant positive correlations were found between the WAL-K and 10 × 5 mST (single run r = .89, double run r = .84). CONCLUSIONS: The WAL-K shows to be a promising reliable, valid, and easy-to-use tool for assessing walking adaptability in children with CP. Responsiveness to change has yet to be evaluated.

Walking adaptability is an essential skill for children to participate in daily life, yet there is no validated clinical test for children with Cerebral Palsy (CP).We recently developed the Walking Adaptability Ladder test for Kids (WAL-K) and we here tested its reliability and validity in children with CP.Application of the WAL-K in children with CP yielded excellent intra- and inter-rater reliability and a good construct validity.The WAL-K shows to be a promising reliable, valid, and easy-to-use tool to assess walking adaptability in children with CP.

The effects of a visuo-motor and cognitive dual task on walking adaptability in children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD-C) have motor coordination deficits which lead to difficulties in sports and play activities that require adaptations of the walking pattern. Sports and play often involve performing dual tasks, which affects performance in DCD-C more than in typically developing children (TD-C). So far, testing the impact of dual tasking on walking adaptability in DCD-C has received little scientific attention. RESEARCH QUESTION: We tested the hypothesis that 6-12 year old DCD-C will show lower levels of walking adaptability than TD-C, and that due to problems with automatization this difference will increase when they are forced to divide their attention between tasks when a concurrent visuo-motor or cognitive task is added. METHODS: Twenty-six DCD-C and sixty-nine TD-C were included in this cross-sectional study. They performed a challenging walking adaptability (WA) task on a treadmill as a single, a visuo-motor dual and a cognitive dual task at a pace of 3.5 km/h. Repeated measures ANCOVAs were performed with condition (single/dual task) as within-subjects factor, group (TD/DCD) as between-subjects factor, and age as covariate. RESULTS: DCD-C performed poorer on the WA task than TD-C. The group differences increased when a concurrent visuo-motor task was added, but not when adding a concurrent cognitive task. A significant effect of age was found with younger children performing worse on all tasks. SIGNIFICANCE: The results highlight the problems DCD-C have with walking adaptability and dual tasks, which capacities are essential for full participation in sports and play activities. Future research should investigate whether DCD-C may benefit from task-specific walking adaptability training.

Reliability and construct validity of the Walking Adaptability Ladder Test for Kids (WAL-K): a new clinical test for measuring walking adaptability in children.

PURPOSE: Walking adaptability is essential for children to participate in daily life, but no objective measurement tools exist. We determined psychometric properties of the Walking Adaptability Ladder test for Kids (WAL-K) in 6-12 year old children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 122 typically developing (TD) children and 26 children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) completed the single and double run conditions of the WAL-K. Intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability were determined by ICCs and Smallest Detectable Change (SDC) in 53 TD children. Construct validity was determined by comparing WAL-K scores between 69 TD and all DCD children and correlating these scores with age and MABC-2 scores. RESULTS: ICCs for reliability varied between 0.76 and 0.99. Compared to the first test performance, WAL-K scores were lower (i.e., better) at retest. SDCs for test-retest reliability varied between 20.8 and 26.1% of the mean scores. WAL-K scores were significantly higher (i.e., worse) in DCD children compared to TD children (p < 0.001). Significant negative correlations were found with MABC-2 (-0.52 and -0.60) and age (-0.61 and -0.68). CONCLUSIONS: The WAL-K shows to be a valid, reliable and easy-to-use tool for measuring walking adaptability in children. Adding an extra practice trial may reduce the observed learning effect.Implications for rehabilitationWalking adaptability is an essential skill for children to participate in daily life, but no objective measurement tools are available.The Walking Adaptability Ladder test for Kids (WAL-K) is a new measurement tool for evaluating walking adaptability in children.The WAL-K shows to be a reliable and valid measurement tool for evaluating walking adaptability in 6-12 year old children.

Walking adaptability improves after treadmill training in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A proof-of-concept study.

BACKGROUND: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have motor coordination deficits leading to difficulties in sports and play that require adaptations of the walking pattern. Children with DCD indeed demonstrate poorer walking adaptability (WA) compared to typically developing children, but it remains elusive whether WA can be improved by training. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does augmented-reality treadmill training lead to improvements in WA in children with DCD? METHODS: Seventeen children with DCD were included in this proof-of-concept intervention study. They received a six-session training on the C-mill, a treadmill on which gait adjustments can be evoked by projected visual context. The effect of the training was evaluated before (M1), directly after training (M2) and after 6 months follow-up (M3) using the WAL-K (single and double run) and WA-tasks on the C-mill (as a single and with concurrent visuo-motor and cognitive task). In addition, parents completed a questionnaire on their perception of the training. Linear Mixed Model analyses were performed to assess the differences in WAL-K scores and success rates on the WA-tasks between M1-M2 and M1-M3. RESULTS: Children significantly improved on the WAL-K double run and on all three WA-tasks between M1-M2 and M1-M3. Children did not improve on the WAL-K single run. Parents found the training useful and fun for their child and indicated that their child fell less frequently. SIGNIFICANCE: The results show that C-mill training had positive and task-specific effects on WA in children with DCD, which effects generalized to an overground task and were retained at 6 months follow-up. This may help children with DCD to better participate in daily activities. Future research should include a control group to examine the effectiveness of the training program compared to receiving no training and may also examine the effect of the training on participation in daily life.

Functional strength measurement in cerebral palsy: feasibility, test-retest reliability, and construct validity.

Purpose: No instrument exists that measures functional strength in both lower and upper extremities in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Therefore, the functional strength measurement (FSM) was tested for feasibility, test-retest reliability and validity in CP. Methods: Thirty-seven children with CP (aged 4-10 years, Gross Motor Function Classification System I and II) participated. The most common compensations for CP were described; new item descriptions were standardized, and one item was removed. Test-retest reliability was examined. To measure convergent validity, correlations between the FSM-CP and isometric muscle strength measured with the handheld dynamometer (HHD) were determined. Results: Test-retest reliability was considered high for all items (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.79-0.95). Significant correlations between the HHD and FSM-CP ranged from r = 0.36 to 0.75. Conclusion: The FSM-CP is feasible, reliable, and valid to use in children with CP. The FSM-CP can be considered as a helpful tool in clinical practice of physical examination of children with CP.

Response inhibition and avoidance of virtual obstacles during gait in healthy young and older adults.

Adjustments of preplanned steps are essential for fall avoidance and require response inhibition. Still, inhibition is rarely tested under conditions resembling daily living. We evaluated the ability of young and older adults to modify ongoing walking movements using a novel precision step inhibition (PSI) task combined with an auditory Stroop task. Healthy young (YA, n=12) and older (OA, n=12) adults performed the PSI task at 4 individualized difficulty levels, as a single and dual task (DT). Subjects walked on a treadmill by stepping on virtual stepping stones, unless these changed color during approach, forcing the subjects to avoid them. OA made more failures (40%) on the PSI task than YA (16%), but DT did not affect their performance. In combination with increased rates of omitted Stroop task responses, this indicates a "posture first" strategy. Yet, adding obstacles to the PSI task significantly deteriorated Stroop performance in both groups (the average Stroop composite score decreased by 13% in YA and 27% in OA). Largest deficit of OA was observed in rates of incorrect responses to incongruent Stroop stimuli (OA 35% and YA 12%), which require response inhibition. We concluded that the performance of OA suffered specifically when response inhibition was required.

Prospective study on risk factors for falling in elderly persons with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities.

Elderly persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at increased risk for falls and fall-related injuries. Although there has been extensive research on risk factors for falling in the general elderly population, research on this topic in persons with ID is rather sparse. This is the first study to prospective investigate risk factors for falling among elderly persons with mild to moderate ID. Seventy-eight ambulatory persons with mild to moderate ID (mean age 62.8 ± 7.6 years; 44 (56%) men; 34 (44%) mild ID) participated in this study. This longitudinal cohort study involved extensive baseline assessments, followed by a one-year follow-up on fall incidents. Falls occurred in 46% of the participants and the fall rate was 1.00 falls per person per year. The most important risk factors for falling in elderly persons with mild to moderate ID were (mild) severity of ID, (high) physical activity, (good) visuo-motor capacity, (good) attentional focus and (high) hyperactivity-impulsiveness, which together explained 56% of the fall risk. This pattern of risk factors identified suggests a complex interplay of personal and environmental factors in the aetiology of falls in elderly persons with ID. We recommend further research on the development of multifactorial screening procedures and individually tailored interventions to prevent falling in persons with ID.

Falls prevention in persons with intellectual disabilities: development, implementation, and process evaluation of a tailored multifactorial fall risk assessment and intervention strategy.

In the general elderly population, multifactorial screening of fall risks has been shown to be effective. Although persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) fall more often, there appears to be no targeted screening for them. The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a falls clinic for persons with ID. Based on guidelines, literature, and expert meetings, a falls clinic for persons with ID was developed. In total, 26 persons with ID and a fall history participated in the study. Process evaluation was conducted with evaluation forms and focus groups. Fifty interventions (0-8 per person) were prescribed. The (para)medical experts, clients, and caregivers described the falls clinic as useful. Advice for improvement included minor changes to clinic content. Logistics were the largest challenge for the falls clinic, for example organizing meetings, completing questionnaires prior to meetings, and ensuring that a personal caregiver accompanied the person with ID. Furthermore, the need for a screening tool to determine whether a person would benefit from the falls clinic was reported. In conclusion, the falls clinic for persons with ID was considered feasible and useful. Some minor content changes are necessary and there is a need for a screening tool. However, logistics concerning the falls clinic need improvement. More attention and time for multifactorial and multidisciplinary treatment of persons with ID is necessary. Implementation on a larger scale would also make it possible to investigate the effectiveness of the falls clinic with regard to the prevention of falls in this population.

Clinical measures are feasible and sensitive to assess balance and gait capacities in older persons with mild to moderate Intellectual Disabilities.

Mobility limitations are common in persons with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). Differences in balance and gait capacities between persons with ID and controls have mainly been demonstrated by instrumented assessments (e.g. posturography and gait analysis), which require sophisticated and expensive equipment such as force plates or a 3D motion analysis system. Most physicians and allied healthcare professionals working with persons with ID do not have such equipment at their disposal, so they must rely on clinical tests to determine whether balance and gait are affected. The aim of this study was to investigate whether existing clinical balance and gait tests are feasible in older persons with mild to moderate ID and to examine whether these tests are able to show limitations in balance and gait capacities in the ID population compared to age-matched peers in the general population. Furthermore, it was aimed to identify the most important determinants of balance and gait disability in persons with the ID. A total of 76 older persons with mild to moderate ID (43 male, mean age 63.1 ± 7.6 years) and 20 healthy controls (14 male, mean age 62.2 ± 5.6 years) participated. Balance and gait abilities were assessed with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Functional Reach test (FR), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), the timed Single Leg Stance (SLS) and the Ten Metre Walking Test (TMWT). Our study showed that it is feasible to conduct standard clinical balance and gait tests in older persons with mild to moderate ID. Balance and gait performance of persons with ID is substantially worse compared to older persons of the general population. Age, number of co-morbidities, Body Mass Index (BMI), body sway and fear of falling are associated with balance and gait performance in persons with ID. These factors might help in the selection of subjects to be monitored on their balance and gait capacities.

A review of balance and gait capacities in relation to falls in persons with intellectual disability.

Limitations in mobility are common in persons with intellectual disabilities (ID). As balance and gait capacities are key aspects of mobility, the prevalence of balance and gait problems is also expected to be high in this population. The objective of this study was to critically review the available literature on balance and gait characteristics in persons with ID. Furthermore, the consequences of balance and gait problems in relation to falls were studied, as well as the trainability of balance and gait in persons with ID. The systematic literature search identified 48 articles to be included in this review. The literature consistently reports that balance and gait capacities are affected in persons with ID compared to their age-matched peers. These problems start at a young age and remain present during the entire lifespan of persons with ID, with a relatively early occurrence of age-related decline. From these results a conceptual model was suggested in which the development of balance and gait capacities in the ID population across the life span are compared to the general population. Regarding the second objective, our review showed that, although the relationship of balance and gait problems with falls has not yet been thoroughly investigated in persons with ID, there is some preliminary evidence that these aspects are also important in the ID population. Finally, this review demonstrates that balance and gait are potentially trainable in persons with ID. These results suggest that falls might be prevented with ID-specific exercise interventions.

Step performance in persons with rheumatoid arthritis: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors that could lead to falls in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with RA (n=15) and age- and sex-matched controls (n=15; mean ± SD age, 60.5 ± 7.1y). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Performance of participants on a step task. Furthermore, manual performance was assessed, as well as questionnaires for balance confidence, fear of falling, and activity level. RESULTS: Patients with RA showed nonsignificantly increased RTs (time to anticipatory postural adjustment and foot lift) and significantly increased movement times (MTs). Push-off force and step velocity were significantly lower in patients with RA. During a manual task, delayed RTs and MTs were seen. Moreover, lower levels of balance confidence and more fear of falling were reported in patients with RA. There were no differences in activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: When performing a quick step, patients with RA show delayed MT and step velocity and decreased push off. Because quick stepping often is used to avoid falls, the increase in step execution time might have undesirable consequences. Furthermore, patients with RA have lower balance confidence and more fear of falling than healthy controls; these factors also contribute to higher fall risk.

Does osteoporosis predispose falls? A study on obstacle avoidance and balance confidence.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is associated with changes in balance and physical performance and has psychosocial consequences which increase the risk of falling. Most falls occur during walking; therefore an efficient obstacle avoidance performance might contribute to a reduction in fall risk. Since it was shown that persons with osteoporosis are unstable during obstacle crossing it was hypothesized that they more frequently hit obstacles, specifically under challenging conditions. METHODS: Obstacle avoidance performance was measured on a treadmill and compared between persons with osteoporosis (n = 85) and the comparison group (n = 99). The obstacle was released at different available response times (ART) to create different levels of difficulty by increasing time pressure. Furthermore, balance confidence, measured with the short ABC-questionnaire, was compared between the groups. RESULTS: No differences were found between the groups in success rates on the obstacle avoidance task (p = 0.173). Furthermore, the persons with osteoporosis had similar levels of balance confidence as the comparison group (p = 0.091). The level of balance confidence was not associated with the performance on the obstacle avoidance task (p = 0.145). CONCLUSION: Obstacle avoidance abilities were not impaired in persons with osteoporosis and they did not experience less balance confidence than the comparison group. These findings imply that persons with osteoporosis do not have an additional risk of falling because of poorer obstacle avoidance abilities.

Efficacy of a short multidisciplinary falls prevention program for elderly persons with osteoporosis and a fall history: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the Nijmegen Falls Prevention Program (NFPP) for persons with osteoporosis and a fall history in a randomized controlled trial. Persons with osteoporosis are at risk for fall-related fractures because of decreased bone strength. A decrease in the number of falls therefore is expected to be particularly beneficial for these persons. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Persons with osteoporosis and a fall history (N=96; mean ± SD age, 71.0±4.7y; 90 women). INTERVENTION: After baseline assessment, participants were randomly assigned to the exercise (n=50; participated in the NFPP for persons with osteoporosis [5.5wk]) or control group (n=46; usual care). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measure was fall rate, measured by using monthly fall calendars for 1 year. Secondary outcomes were balance confidence (Activity-specific Balance Confidence Scale), quality of life (QOL; Quality of Life Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis), and activity level (LASA Physical Activity Questionnaire, pedometer), assessed posttreatment subsequent to the program and after 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: The fall rate in the exercise group was 39% lower than for the control group (.72 vs 1.18 falls/person-year; risk ratio, .61; 95% confidence interval, .40-.94). Balance confidence in the exercise group increased by 13.9% (P=.001). No group differences were observed in QOL and activity levels. CONCLUSION: The NFPP for persons with osteoporosis was effective in decreasing the number of falls and improving balance confidence. Therefore, it is a valuable new tool to improve mobility and independence of persons with osteoporosis.

Could martial arts fall training be safe for persons with osteoporosis?: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a well-established risk factor for fall-related hip fractures. Training fall arrest strategies, such as martial arts (MA) fall techniques, might be useful to prevent hip fractures in persons with osteoporosis, provided that the training itself is safe. This study was conducted to determine whether MA fall training would be safe for persons with osteoporosis extrapolated from the data of young adults and using stringent safety criteria. METHODS: Young adults performed sideways and forward MA falls from a kneeling position on both a judo mat and a mattress as well as from a standing position on a mattress. Hip impact forces and kinematic data were collected. For each condition, the highest hip impact force was compared with two safety criteria based on the femoral fracture load and the use of a hip protector. RESULTS: The highest hip impact force during the various fall conditions ranged between 1426 N and 3132 N. Sideways falls from a kneeling and standing position met the safety criteria if performed on the mattress (max 1426 N and 2012 N, respectively) but not if the falls from a kneeling position were performed on the judo mat (max 2219 N). Forward falls only met the safety criteria if performed from a kneeling position on the mattress (max 2006 N). Hence, forward falls from kneeling position on a judo mat (max 2474 N) and forward falls from standing position on the mattress (max 3132 N) did not meet both safety criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the data of young adults and safety criteria, the MA fall training was expected to be safe for persons with osteoporosis if appropriate safety measures are taken: during the training persons with osteoporosis should wear hip protectors that could attenuate the maximum hip impact force by at least 65%, perform the fall exercises on a thick mattress, and avoid forward fall exercises from a standing position. Hence, a modified MA fall training might be useful to reduce hip fracture risk in persons with osteoporosis.