Physical Strain During Walking in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Construct Validity Study.

Cross-sectionalArchives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation· Jun 2026

Physical Strain During Walking in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Construct Validity Study.

Sandra Linnea Klund-Hansen, Terje Gjøvaag, Eivind Lundgaard … Linda Rennie

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Child NeurologyCross-sectionalClinical practiceQ1IF 2.1

Physical strain of walking closely correlates with lower 6-minute walk distance.

Physical Strain During Walking in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Construct Validity Study.

Sandra Linnea Klund-Hansen … Linda Rennie

Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation · Jun 2026

Purpose

To describe the physical strain of walking in adults with spastic cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) and investigate the construct (known-groups, convergent, and discriminant) validity of physical strain.

Methods

A total of 94 ambulant adults (N=94) (41 men) with spastic cerebral palsy.

n = 41 men

Results

r=-0.716

higher physical strain, shorter 6-minute walk distance

n = 41 men

More results

The overall physical strain was median (interquartile range) 50% (18), mean (SD) VO 2 peak of 36.2 (8.6), and median (interquartile range) 6MWT distance of 553 m (144).

More results

The physical strain test was significantly different between Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I and II ( P =.002) and between Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I and III ( P ≤.001), and distinguished acceptably between unilateral and bilateral cerebral palsy subgroups (area under the curve=0.739; P <.001).

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Conclusion · 1 of 3

Physical strain of walking in adults with spastic cerebral palsy increased with decreasing gross motor function, and was significantly different between known-groups of adults with spastic cerebral palsy.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

This study confirmed the hypotheses of a strong inverse association between physical strain and walking capacity.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

The weak-to-moderate association with functional mobility and the lack of association with quality of life support divergent validity.

Physical Strain During Walking in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Construct Validity Study.

Physical Strain During Walking in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Construct Validity Study.

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