# Morphological and Motor Ability Adaptations Following a Short-Term Moderate-Intensity Strength Training Intervention in a Sedentary Adult Male with Asymmetrical Bilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Case Study

## TL;DR

A short-term strength training program improved muscle strength and mobility in a man with cerebral palsy, showing benefits even in a short time.

## Contribution

This case study demonstrates that short-term moderate-intensity strength training can improve motor abilities in adults with cerebral palsy.

## Key findings

- Maximal knee strength increased significantly on the more spastic side.
- Hip mobility and squat strength improved moderately after the training.
- The intervention was feasible and showed meaningful adaptations in a short time.

## Abstract

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of permanent disorders affecting movement, posture, and balance. Spasticity is the most common movement disorder in CP, and muscle weakness is its primary impairment. There is a lack of studies that have examined the effects of short-term, moderate-intensity strength training (ST) in adults with CP, whereas recommendations suggest that long-term interventions are necessary for substantial improvements in strength in the CP population. This study investigated the effects of a 5-week, moderate-intensity ST intervention, that targets various upper and lower extremity muscles, on multiple morphological characteristics (MC) and motor abilities (MA) in a sedentary 30-year-old adult male with asymmetrical bilateral spastic CP level II. Methods: Body composition, maximal knee strength, maximal squat strength, leg explosive strength, and hip mobility were assessed before and after the ST intervention. Results: Changes in body composition were modest (0.6–6.4%). Maximal knee strength increased moderately on the less spastic side (40.7–65.9%) and substantially on the more spastic side (118.5–130.6%). Hip mobility showed a similar pattern, with small to moderate improvements (11.4–30.0%), while maximal squat strength and leg explosive strength increased moderately (29.5–46.3%). Conclusions: A short-term, moderate-intensity ST intervention produced meaningful improvements in MC and MA in this subject, especially on the more spastic side. The applied ST program was feasible and potentially efficient, and the results of this single-case study support its approach and methodology in necessary future studies on larger trials in an attempt to generalize these preliminary findings. This in turn may encourage practitioners to promote increased participation in physical activity among individuals with CP, given the short-term period of adaptations. The study discusses the potential of further refinement of the existing CP-specific ST guidelines and load programming aspects.