Burns can negatively impact children’s physical and psychosocial well-being, even for non-severe injuries, leading to long-term physical and mental health risks (Allahham, 2022; Duke, 2018). This study explored the psychosocial benefits to patients and caregivers of a community-based exercise program for children recovering from burn injuries.
A pre-test–post-test design assessed the effects of an 8-week community-based trampoline exercise intervention on child quality-of-life, strengths and difficulties, psychological stress, fitness, skill and exercise levels. Additionally, it assessed the vicarious effect of this intervention on caregiver measures of stress.
Parent-reported child emotional function (PedsQL) improved significantly over time (p = 0.024), although no change was observed in child self-reported emotional function or Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) scores. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores remained stable, but parent-reported hyperactivity and emotional difficulties were higher than population norms across the study. Children’s self-reported psychological function did not change over the study period. Despite significant improvement in trampolining performance (p < 0.0001), no significant or clinically meaningful changes were seen in fitness or physical measures, including MET score, grip strength, BMI percentile, or heart-rate recovery. Skill and exercise engagement improved, as reflected in trampolining gains, though these were not mirrored in children’s emotional self-assessments. Caregiver post-traumatic stress symptoms declined significantly (p = 0.050), with reductions in avoidance (p = 0.009), hypervigilance (p = 0.007), and intrusion (p = 0.026). Improved caregiver coping may positively influence children's confidence in returning to exercise, even if child self-reports did not reflect emotional gains.