Prescription of Exercise Programs for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review.
Sofia S Ataíde, José P Ferreira, Maria J Campos
PMID 39306656WHAT IT FOUND
Combined exercise programs improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and quality of life in people with autism.
Most studies were small, short, and had high risk of bias, so these benefits are promising but not firmly proven.
Key findings
01Combined aerobic and strength training was the most common intervention, used in 13 of the 18 reviewed studies.
02Participants showed improvements in fitness, strength, and mental health, but the authors state the evidence is insufficient to confirm changes in body composition or metabolic fitness.
03The review recommends 12-week combined programs with aerobic exercise at 50-60% of maximum heart rate progressing to 75-80%, and strength training at 60-75% of one-repetition maximum.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Seven of the 18 studies had a high risk of bias. Sample sizes were small in many studies, and some had exclusively male participants. The level of autism functioning was not reported in most studies, making it hard to know if results apply to severe autism. Many studies did not clearly report randomization, blinding, or exact session details like rest periods. The review could not perform a meta-analysis due to the diversity of interventions and outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume exercise will fix weight or metabolic issues. The authors explicitly state the evidence is insufficient to confirm improvements in body composition or metabolic fitness, even though physical fitness and quality of life often improved.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →