ECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH10
INTRODUCTION: There are multiple benefits associated with engagement in strength training, including maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system, improving functional abilities, and promoting independence are associated with resistance training [1]. The current recommendation is to engage in strength training twice per week [2]. Among people with disabilities, their demographic factors, such as age, sex, and race, could influence their frequency of strength training engagement. Currently, little is known about how demographic factors influence the frequency of strength training among people with disability. Therefore, this study aims to examine the association between demographic factors and the frequency of strength training using free-living data. METHODS: Using the free-living data of 2015-2019 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System, 251062 individuals with disabilities were included in this cross-sectional secondary data analysis. Respondents self-reported the frequency of engagement of strength training per week. Demographic factors such as older adults, sex, race and ethnicity, and normal weight status were examined on their association with the frequency of strength training per week. Due to the frequency of strength training being counts data, multiple Poisson regressions were performed for each of the demographic variables. Sampling weights were accounted for during the analysis due to the data being complex survey data. RESULTS: The average frequency of strength training among the participants was 1.02 (95% CI [1.00, 1.04]) times per week. Among the participants, 70.98% [95% CI 70.65, 71.32]) were ≥65 years old, 44.68% (95% CI [44.26, 45.10]) were males, 63.52% (95% CI [63.11, 63.94]) were white, and 25.12% (95% CI [24.76, 25.49]) had normal weight status. The Poisson regressions found that participants who were older than 65 years old (RR=1.20, p<.01), male (RR=1.36, p<.01), and having normal weight (RR=1.39, p<.01) were more likely to have a higher frequency of strength training per week. Being white had a lower RR of having a higher frequency of strength training per week (RR=0.98, p=.35), but the association was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The reported strength training frequency was below the recommended guidelines of two times per week among the participants. Demographic factors impact the frequency of strength training among individuals with disabilities. All included demographic variables in the study were statistically associated with the strength training frequency per week. Investigating potential barriers and facilitators associated with these variables may guide the development of more effective strength training interventions targeting people with disabilities. References: 1. Seguin, R. & Nelson, M., The benefits of strength training for older adults. AJPM, 2003. 25(3): p. 141-149. 2. Piercy, K.L., et al., The physical activity guidelines for Americans. JAMA, 2018. 320(19): p. 2020-2028.
Read CV Nauris TamuleviciusECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH10
INTRODUCTION: Persons with intellectual disability (ID) experience premature age-related decline in physical abilities, performing activities of daily living (ADL), and components of health-related physical fitness (HRPF). The decline in HRPF components contributes to declined walking speed, a functional independence measure. Few studies have examined the contribution of the HRPF components towards the walking speed of persons with ID. We hypothesised that there would be a positive association between measures of cardiovascular fitness, balance, muscular strength and endurance and walking speed and a negative association between body composition and walking speed. METHODS: Hundred and fourteen adults with ID were recruited to participate in this cross-sectional study. The FUNfitness screening protocol was used to determine HRPF, including measures of cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and -endurance, flexibility, balance, and body composition. Multiple regression analyses were performed. The level of significance was set at p≤0.05. RESULTS: Body composition [body mass (r=0.389, p=0.011); BMI (r=0.318, p=0.040); fat percentage (r = 0.311, p = 0.031)] in males has a moderately statistically significant positive association with walking speed. Whereas in females, body composition variables [BMI (r=-0.369, p=0.017); WC (r=-0.398, p=0.011); HC (r=0.011-0.398, p=0.011) had significant negative associations with walking speed. In women, only functional reach on the right-hand side contributed statistically significantly to walking speed, and the timed stand test was borderline statistically significant [F (12, 27) = 0.057, p < 0.004]. In men, only body mass contributed statistically significantly to walking speed [F (7, 34) = 0.0088, p < 0.004]. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, women with a larger body composition walked slower while men with a larger body composition walked faster. The finding might be due to a difference in the ratio of muscle mass to fat mass in women compared to men. Decreasing body fat in women may contribute to increased balance women could contribute to a faster walking speed.
Read CV Tamrin VeldsmanECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH10
INTRODUCTION: Countermovement jumps (CMJs) are a widely used tool in athlete training, performance monitoring, and research for measuring power output. Athletes with intellectual impairments (II) typically rely on gross motor batteries or specialized test batteries. Strength diagnostics are often conducted through long jump or hand grip tests. While there has been extensive scientific research on physical fitness for individuals with II, there is limited data available on elite athletes using CMJ, particularly for female athletes with II and those with Down syndrome. METHODS: The aim of the study was to evaluate the reliability of the CMJ in elite para-karate athletes who have II (with an IQ below 75 “K21”) and Down Syndrome (DS) “K22” by utilizing Kistler Force plates. During the classification session of the WKF World Para-karate championships 2023, a group of 20 (K21) and 24 (K22) para-karate athletes (age 27.2±7.0 and 27.4±6.2 years) performed the CMJ twice within a 1-minute interval. RESULTS: The difference between the test and re-test in jump height calculated from flight time was not significant (-1.45± 4.50 cm, t(42)=-1.88, p= 0.07, for K21 -0.71± 5.42 cm, t(19)=-0.58, p=0.57 and for K22 sport class -0.32±3.92 cm, t(19)=-0.365, p=0.719 respectively. The difference between the test and re-test in jump height calculated from take-off velocity was not significant (-0.94± 7.10 cm, t(41)=-0.86, p=0.39, for K21 -2.45± 5.70 cm, t(21)=-0.64, p=0.53 and for K22 sport class -0.32±3.92 cm, t(21)-2,04, p=0,06 respectively. The ICC correlation coefficient for jump height calculated from flight time indicate good reliability to excellent reliability ICC=0.79 (95%CI 0.64-0.88), K21 ICC=0.9 (95%CI 0.77-0.96), K22 ICC= 0.90 (95%CI 0.77-0.96), and for jump height calculated from take-off velocity moderate to good reliability ICC=0.70 (95%CI 0.51-0.83), K21 ICC= 0.82 (95%CI 0.61-0.92), K22 ICC=0.61 (95%CI 0.26-0.82), (p≤0.01 for all ICC coefficients). CONCLUSION: To ensure that the test is easily understood, it is essential to communicate and explain it using simple language while providing visual demonstrations. Our analysis has shown that the CMJ test is a suitable option for assessing explosive power in II para-karate athletes, for both sport classes (K21 and K22). The parameters obtained from the CMJ test, such as jump height determined by take-off velocity and flight time, can be relied upon as reliable indicators for evaluating explosive power, with higher reliability for jump height calculated by take-off velocity. Acknowledgement: This article is a partial work of the VEGA project (number 1/0611/23).
Read CV Dusana AugustovicovaECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH10