Differences in physical activity volume and intensity between Unified and non‐Unified Special Olympics football training: An observational pilot study

Abstract

BackgroundThe participation of people with intellectual disabilities in Special Olympics sports and training opportunities offers numerous benefits for health and inclusion. However, little is known about the impact of such training on physical activity behaviour. Here, we evaluate the differences in physical activity volume and intensity of Special Olympics athletes between Unified and non‐Unified football training.MethodAccelerometer data of 12 male athletes from eight standardised training sessions (four Unified, four non‐Unified) were analysed.ResultsWhile there was no statistically significant difference for the main part of the training, athletes showed higher levels of physical activity intensity (MVPA: Mdiff = 11.74%; 95% CI = 5.50–17.97) and volume (average acceleration ENMO: Mdiff = 112.82 mg; 95% CI = 24.73–200.90) in a Unified compared to non‐Unified endurance‐related exercise task.ConclusionUnderstanding physical activity participation in different training types can help to design and implement future training programmes.