Leader of this group:
PhD MD Hege Havstad Clemm
About this group
Physical activity is important for good health and to minimise the risk of an ever increasing number of diseases.
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We have several projects in this group, studying different aspects of physical activity and strength in children, adolescents and young adults. In both health and disease.
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Haukeland University Hospital and Bergen University are cooperating with Bergen University College, Norwegian School of Sports Science and Olympiatoppen in several of these projects.
Research projects
Physical therapy and training at the Energy Center for Children and Youth
The goal of this project is to facilitate physical training for several groups of chronically ill children, including:
Boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Premature borns with Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Children with congenital or acquired lung diseases
PEP - Follow up on those born extremely premature
Long-term consequences
During the last 3 to 4 decades long-term survival of those born extremely preterm has increased considerably. When born extremely preterm (EPB), all organ systems are immature and vulnerable. Most of these infants require advanced intensive care treatment. Paradoxically, treatment measures required to save their lives in the short-term may also be potentially harmful in the long-term. The full consequences of this remain unknown. Repeated studies over decades are needed to address these continuously evolving changes.
In Bergen, we have studied long-term outcomes in several consecutive population-based cohorts of extremely preterm born (EPB) subjects and matched term-born (TB) controls.
Our previous studies showed that those born extremely preterm have lower oxygen consumption than those born at term, and that this may be partly explained by lower physical activity. Physical activity is important for good health and reducing risk of diseases. Because those born premature also have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, it is of importance to study this aspect.
New follow-up
The regional ethical committee for medical research has approved new examinations of the regional groups born extremely preterm or at extremely low birthweight, alongside termborn control subjects born in 1982-85, 1991-92 and 1999-2000. A new treadmill test will give us valuable information on health condition in general, and tell us if those born premature follow the same decline in physical capacity as those born at term when aging. We depend on a high participation rate to gain valid statistical results, and sincerely hope that our participants will take time to answer both questionnaires and to perform clinical examinations!
Doctorates or Ph.D dissertations emerging from the respiratory group
Hege Havstad Clemm. Exercise Capacity after extremely preterm birth. Development from childhood to adulthood. University of Bergen 2015
​Ola Drange Røksund. Larynx in exercising humans. The unexplored bottleneck of the airways. University of Bergen 2012.
PhD-projects
Mette Engan, Physical Capacity in young adults born extremely preterm - ongoing
Physical therapy and training at the Energy Center for Children and Youth
About the project
The main goal of the project is to facilitate physical exercise for different groups of chronically ill children, and to evaluate the benefits against achievement, quality of life, daily level of functioning and effects on organs of which we first consider lung health.
In this project we wish to take advantage of the opportunities at EBU to give the physiotherapists at section BUK / KK / PBU experience and competence within physical exercise for chronically ill children. The measures that are implemented will be knowledge-based, have utility value and can be used in the patient's everyday life. User participation is planned and strongly taken into account.
During the project period, offers will be given to three target groups that are already followed up at the Children and Adolescents' Clinic, but where we have not previously had adapted training and rehabilitation offers. The three groups are:
Boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Premature babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Children with congenital or acquired lung diseases
The projects will provide valuable project experience to the physiotherapy group, for further development of the Energy Center for Children and Adolescents. It is intended that one must complete two MSc degrees for the project coworkers and a PhD degree for the project manager.
During the first year, external funding will be sought to ensure further research-based activity for the projects. Knowledge acquired from the project will be strived to be implemented into daily routines to establish permanent treatment and training offers for the target groups of chronically ill children at the EBU.
Research associates
1 Department of Physiotherapy, Orthopedic Clinic
Stian Hammer: MSc – specialist in heart og lung physiotherapy, PhD student (Project leader)
Tiina Andersen: Post Doc, PhD, MSc - specialist in heart and lung physiotherapy
Anett Myhre Skjoldmo, special physiotherapist
Jorun Hestad Riise, specialist in children- and youth physiotherapy
Other staff
2 The children and youth clinic
Maria Vollsæter, Post Doc, MD, PhD, senior consultant childhood diseases
Other staff
3 National competence service for home respirator treatment
Tiina Andersen, Post Doc, PhD, MSc - specialist in heart and lung physiotherapy
Maria Vollsæter, Post Doc, MD, PhD, senior consultant childhood diseases
Other staff
Day variations in grip strength and lung function
About the study
The purpose is to study whether there is daily variation present in gripping force and spirometry, and whether it is significant for the clinical everyday life.
30 girls and 30 boys aged 20-30 years, mainly medical students, will be included in the study. Participation involves examination of gripping force, as well as lung function examination with a spirometer. In addition, participants must answer a questionnaire.
The project is an educational project in connection with a special subject at the Medicine Professional Study.
Research associates
Hege Clemm, project manager
Football players in development
About the study
The purpose of the study is to study the relationship between biological maturation level (bm), training tolerance and injury risk, and between bm and physical and mental skill development. The study will include 50 boys players (14 years in 2018) who have been selected for betting teams and 50 players for broad teams for 10 years.
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Bm is measured by X-ray of the hand twice a year until the length growth ceases. Physical capacity (speed, endurance, lung function, resilience, strength) is tested at the same time as the X-ray examination. Once a year, the players must answer a questionnaire in which factors that can affect the players' motivation, self-perception and goal perspective are examined. Injuries are registered by health professionals, and training load via mobile app and GPS sensors.
The players will be followed for 10 years.
The project is carried out as part of the activities at the sports section (Høgskulen på Vestlandet, Campus Kronstad).
Research associates
Hilde Gundersen, project leader