World-first research project to get kids running to better health

Dr Sarah Reedman from UQ's Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre with Caitlin Mitchell participating in frame running training at UQ. A landmark research project led by The University of Queensland is aiming to improve the cardiovascular health of young children with cerebral palsy (CP) by trialling a new running program. Dr Sarah Reedman , a Research Fellow at UQ's Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre , said the study was the first of its kind internationally to host a trial of frame running training and would monitor the improvements in cardiovascular fitness for young children living with CP as they train and grow. "Participants of our project, which is called Running for Health, will use a frame that gives children with CP the capability to run," Dr Reedman said. "Frame running or race running is a new sport and will only be introduced for the first time at the Paris Paralympics in 2024. "We are currently identifying children who want to get into the sport and you never know, they might end up representing Australia in their hometown come 2032." CP is the most common physical disability in childhood with around 600 children diagnosed in Australia every year. Children with CP often have difficulty walking or cannot walk, meaning they have low physical activity levels which can lead to a 300 per cent increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.