The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence, distribution, and intensity of pain and determine the relationship between pain intensity and effect on daily activities in adolescents with cerebral palsy. A sample of 104 girls and 126 boys, mean ages 14.7 (SD = 1.7) and 14.8 (SD = 1.7) years, were asked “Have you experienced physical pain in the past month?” Sixty-four percent of girls and 50% of boys reported pain. Pain was most frequent in the feet and ankles, knees, and lower back of girls and boys at Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I to IV. Foot and ankle and knee pain were also frequent at level V. The Spearman rho value between intensity and effect on daily activities was 0.75 (p < 0.01) and 0.82 (p < 0.01) for girls and boys.
The high prevalence of pain and its effect on daily activities suggests a need for greater focus on health promotion.