Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often experience muscle weakness, which contributes to limitations in functional mobility and reduced participation in daily activities. High-velocity power training has shown promise in pediatric rehabilitation and appears effective in improving functional mobility.

In 2023, the PIONEER research team partnered with clinicians at Alberta Children’s Hospital and two Calgary fitness centres to develop and pilot Resistance Intensive Personal Training (RIPT), an innovative, individualized, community-based, goal-focused power training model.

The next step is to support broader spread and scale through the development of an evidence-based RIPT Implementation Toolkit. The project team will collaborate with community partners (WinSport Calgary, the Steadward Centre in Edmonton, and a rural community site) to implement RIPT across diverse settings. Through this process, we will evaluate implementation and use the findings to refine and finalize the toolkit.

The PIONEER team will conduct a mixed-methods implementation evaluation in three distinct contexts. This will include:

  • Quantitative data collection on implementation processes, service delivery, and client outcomes.
  • Qualitative interviews with site managers, trainers, physical therapists, and families.

The primary outcome of this work will be a comprehensive, evidence-based RIPT Implementation Toolkit designed for diverse community settings. This toolkit will provide practical guidance to help youth with CP access effective, community-based fitness programming.

Award

  • Kids Brain Health Network: $14,281
  • Brain Canada: $100,000

Partners

  • WinSport Calgary
  • Steadward Centre
  • Lewis Gitelman (Instructional Design)
  • WCHRI
  • ACHRI/ACHF

Team

  • Principal investigator: Dr. Lesley Pritchard
  • Co-investigator: Elizabeth Condliffe