Children with brain injury benefit from intensive physical activity

Children and adolescents with acquired brain injury benefit from much more intensive physical activity during their rehabilitation than is currently common practice. A PhD study shows that it is safe and feasible to have these children be physically active for three to five hours a day. All participants improved their physical and cognitive abilities. Christiaan Gmelig Meyling, pediatric physiotherapist at De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation and researcher at the Knowledge Centre for Rehabilitation Medicine Utrecht (KCRU), will defend his PhD thesis on Wednesday 4 February on his research into the REHABILITY programme. 

Acquired brain injury, for example as a result of an accident, is a life-changing event that can bring a child’s and a family’s life to a complete standstill. These children need intensive rehabilitation in order to participate optimally in daily life again. Physical activity plays a crucial role in this process, but for a long time the optimal form and intensity were unclear.

Kinderfysiotherapeut en onderzoeker Christiaan Gmelig Meyling

Early, intensive rehabilitation with active family involvement 
To strengthen the scientific basis for physical rehabilitation, the REHABILITY project was initiated. In this programme, children are challenged to be physically active for three to five hours a day during their clinical rehabilitation. In collaboration with international experts, researchers from Utrecht determined that children benefit most from early, intensive and meaningful physical activities in which parents are actively involved. In addition, interviews with children and their parents revealed how crucial their own motivation, a positive “can-do” attitude and support from the entire family are for successful recovery.

From Utrecht to the entire country
Since January 2025, the REHABILITY approach has been implemented in all clinical paediatric rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands through the project “REHABILITY-4-ALL”. Gmelig Meyling’s research forms the foundation for this nationwide initiative. In this way, every child in the Netherlands with acquired brain injury is given the opportunity to recover as optimally as possible through intensive training.