This study investigated the effects of two physical exercise programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Twenty-one participants were assigned to an indoor group (IG, n = 7; 24-week gym intervention with machine), an outdoor group (OG, n = 7; 24-week outdoor intervention with low-cost materials) or a control group. The outcomes assessed included quality of life, dementia, and functional capacity. The IG significantly improved physical well-being compared with the control group (p = 0.017). There were no significant differences in dementia score between groups and moments. Postintervention, the IG showed improvements compared with the control group for the 30-s sit-to-stand test (p = 0.03), timed up-and-go (p = 0.00), and 6-min-walk test (p = 0.033) and between moments in the IG for 30-s sit-to-stand test (pre and post; p = 0.007) and 6-min-walk test (pre and post; p = 0.007). Outdoor interventions appeared effective for physical well-being, while indoor interventions using weight-training machines benefited functional capacity. No significant effects were observed for dementia/cognitive decline.
Copyright Human Kinetics. Reprinted with permission from Human Kinetics (Champaign, IL).

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• publisher