An Observational Tool to Assess Activity Limitation in Ambulatory People with Cerebral Palsy When Performing Motor Skills

Abstract

Ratios of physical activity and sports participation in people with cerebral palsy (CP) are still low compared with people without a disability. For an adequate and useful practice, physical activity professionals should understand how different types of CP profiles constrain the performance of motor skills that are required during sports practice. This study aims to develop an observation-based assessment tool to evaluate activity limitations in individuals with a moderate level of CP when performing skills requiring jumping, sprinting, change of direction, coordination, and balance. Nineteen observers with different backgrounds from five world regions were recruited for this study, with accredited experience classifying/observing para-athletes with CP. All observers watched videos of 20 international para-athletes with different CP profiles (bilateral spasticity, athetosis/ataxia, unilateral spasticity; all Gross Motor Function Classification System level I) performing 16 motor tasks, and their observations were recorded throughout an ad-hoc data collection instrument. A total of 6080 units of qualitative information were recorded for data analysis. An observation-based tool with qualitative descriptors is derived from data analyses, describing how coordination and balance affected mainly in those with dyskinesia/ataxia, range of movement in those with diplegia, and asymmetries in those with hemiplegia. This tool would help sports practitioners and physical educators to better understand how different CP profiles constrain the performance of motor skills.