A resistance exercise set for a total body workout for adults with intellectual disabilities, a pilot study.
Stijn Weterings, Alyt Oppewal, Florien M M van Eeden and 1 others
PMID 30536559WHAT IT FOUND
A seven-exercise resistance set without weight machines was completed and correctly performed by all participants who attended the second session, and participants liked the exercises.
The pilot showed feasibility, but did not test weights, strength, fitness, or a training programme.
Key findings
01Experts reached consensus on a core set of seven exercises without weight machines, which can be tailored to individual capabilities.
02In the first session, completion was 100% for the step up, biceps curl and triceps curl and 90% for the push-up, seated squat, abdominal curl and bridge pose; correctness was 100% for the step up and push off and 90% for the seated squat, abdominal curl, bridge pose, biceps curl and triceps curl. In the second session, all participants completed and correctly performed all exercises.
03Participants liked the exercises 70 to 100 percent, and 70 to 100 percent wanted to perform them again; the biceps curl was the only exercise all participants wanted to perform again.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 11 participants were recruited from regular sports classes, and the authors state they were probably more active and motivated to exercise. Only one participant had a moderate intellectual disability. Only seven participants attended both sessions, and one consented but attended neither. The exercises were performed without weights, so it is unclear how adults would perform them with weights or as part of a resistance training programme. The expert meeting had limited attendance: five of six physiotherapists and two of four physical activity instructors. The reported outcomes were feasibility parameters, not strength, fitness or health outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this exercise set improves strength, fitness or health. The study only tested two supervised sessions without weights, and it measured completion, execution and participants' experience, not health outcomes.