Abstract
Using the internet to increased physical activity in teenagers with cerebral palsy – are you kidding?!
Carol Maher
PhD submitted 2008, School of Health Sciences,
University of South Australia
Cerebral palsy is the leading cause of physical disability in children. It is often difficult for teenagers with cerebral palsy to participate in regular sports and physical activities. Additionally, they frequently experience transport difficulties for attending specialised services for people with disabilities. The internet offers a way to deliver accessible and appealing services to teenagers with cerebral palsy.
A special website was created to help teenagers with cerebral palsy to encourage participation in physical activity. The website, developed with help from teenagers with cerebral palsy, included lots of interactive and interesting features such as an ‘activity finder’ which produced a customised list of suggested physical activities tailored to the teenagers’ individual interests and resources, a personalised physical activity planner including weekly goal-setting and the ability to record weekly progress, quizzes, interviews with paralympians and an online chat forum allowing the teenage participants to communicate with each other.
A group of 41 teenagers with cerebral palsy took part in a study to test whether using the internet program had any benefits or negative side effects on their physical activity habits. Half of the teenagers were given access to the website, and the other half were simply encouraged to continue with their usual life and activities.
The teenagers who used the website increased their physical activity compared to the group that didn’t. They also appeared to do more intense activities (activities that make them puff) than the other group and their knowledge about how to exercise safely and effectively appeared to increase.
