Physical fitness of individuals with intellectual disability who have Special Olympics experience

Abstract

Physical fitness of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) is low compared to those without ID. Part of the mis sion of Special Olympics is to develop physical fitness. However, little is known about fitness levels of Special Olympics athletes. This study examined the fitness level of individuals who participated in Nordic Special Olympics Games 2008 in Finland. The sample consisted of 59 Special Olympics athletes (44 men, 15 women, age 16-45) whose fitness scores were compared to INASathletes (International Association of Sport for paraathletes with ID) and Finnish nonathletic individuals with ID. The fitness battery consisted of 8 items: BMI, sitandreach test, stork stand, sit up, standing long jump, hand grip, shuttle run, and 1 mile/2 km walk test. BMI values were in the range of the nondisabled population. All other fitness values were below the means of the INASathletes, but above the Finnish nonathletes. Based on this data which is supported by the existing literature, the level of fitness of Special Olympics athletes needs further scrutiny. Given that the participants were Special Olympics athletes, who trained regularly, the low fitness level is alarming. Therefore, a closer examination of the contents of physical fitness training programs in Special Olympics is warranted.

Age and sex-based differences in functional strength of adults participating in Special Olympics

“…These authors found that males consistently outperformed females in abdominal strength and endurance. Similar sexbased strength differences were documented more recently in a sample of Nordic Special Olympics athletes (Rintala et al, 2016). However, the small number of female athletes (n = 79 in the Cuesta-Vargas et al study, n = 33 in the Lahtinen et al study,and n = 15 in the Rintala et al study), limits our understanding of sex-related differences.…”

“…Despite the importance of strength, individuals with an ID have a lower level of strength than their general-population peers (Cuesta-Vargas et al, 2011;Lahtinen et al, 2007); these lower levels include individuals with an ID who are athletes (Cuesta-Vargas & Hilgenkamp, 2015). Additionally, among individuals with an ID, there is some evidence that strength decreases with age (Lahtinen et al, 2007;Oppewal et al, 2014b) and that females have lower eujapa.upol.cz muscle strength than their male peers (Cuesta-Vargas et al, 2011;Lahtinen et al, 2007;Rintala et al, 2016). For example, Cuesta-Vargas and colleagues found that male Special Olympics athletes scored higher than female athletes on the following muscular strength and endurance tests: timed sit to stand, partial sit-up test, seated push-up test, and the hand grip test.…”

Considerations for the Design of a Physical Fitness Battery to Assess Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Preliminary Reference Values for the SAMU DIS-FIT Study

“…To assess muscle strength, three different tests were selected: (i) Grip Strength (GS), (ii) 30 s Sit Up (SUP), and (iii) the Timed Stand Test (TST). The use of three tests was justified by the need to assess different manifestations of strength and different muscle groups as a basis for determining a person’s PF [ 2 , 15 ].…”

“…Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) generally show lower levels of physical fitness (PF) than those without disabilities of the same sex and age [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. However, making comparisons between values obtained by individuals without disabilities and individuals with disabilities could imply a comparative disadvantage for the latter because the personal and social development as well as the characteristics of adults with and without ID are not similar.…”

Sedentary Time, Physical Activity Levels and Physical Fitness in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

“…Most definitions of physical fitness incorporate body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility [ 11 ]. These physical aspects are essential for performing activities of daily living and developing functional skills, and low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength and endurance can limit independence in adulthood [ 12 ].…”