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Improving body function and minimizing activity limitations in pediatric leukemia survivors: The lasting impact of the Stoplight Program
Author(s) -
Tanner Lynn R.,
Hooke Mary C.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.27596
Subject(s) - medicine , physical therapy , range of motion , lymphoblastic leukemia , intervention (counseling) , treatment and control groups , weakness , physical medicine and rehabilitation , leukemia , surgery , psychiatry
Background After acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment, children can have persistent muscle weakness, range of motion limitations, and decreased function after treatment. The Stoplight Program (SLP), a proactive physical therapy intervention, was administered as the standard of care during ALL treatment to prevent and minimize these impairments. The purpose of this follow‐up study was to measure body function and activity limitations in ALL survivors who completed the SLP and compare them to a pre‐SLP control group, thus evaluating the longer term impact of the SLP. Procedure Two cohorts of survivors of pediatric ALL ages 5 to 18 years were assessed 18 to 24 months after completing ALL treatment. Measurements included both the body coordination subtest and the strength and agility subtest of the Bruininks‐Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, active dorsiflexion range of motion (ADROM), and physical activity by self‐report. Results The control group and SLP group did not differ in size ( n = 15), mean age (9 years), or time off ALL treatment (20 months). The SLP group had better scale scores for bilateral coordination ( P = 0.05), running speed/agility ( P < 0.01), and strength ( P = 0.01). The number of survivors with 5 degrees or greater of ADROM (right) was significantly greater in the SLP group. ADROM had a positive correlation with strength/agility standard score in the combined survivor group. Conclusion The SLP is a proactive physical therapy intervention that continues to positively impact children after treatment. Referral to physical therapy should be the standard to optimize long‐term function.