The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sitting volleyball performance and the field fitness of sitting volleyball players. Forty-five elite sitting volleyball players participated in 10 field fitness tests. Additionally, the players’ head coach and coach assessed their volleyball performance (receive and defense, block, attack, and serve). Data were analyzed with SPSS software version 21 by using correlation and regression analyses, and the significance level was set at P< 0.05. The results showed that chest pass, overhand throw, one-hand throw, one-hand side throw, splint, speed endurance, reaction time, and graded exercise test results had a statistically significant influence on the players’ abilities to attack, serve, and block. Grip strength, t-test, speed, and agility showed a statistically significant relationship with the players’ skill at defense and receive. Our results showed that chest pass, overhand throw, one-hand throw, one-hand side throw, speed endurance, reaction time, and graded exercise test results had a statistically significant influence on volleyball performance.

There is considerable overlap in the manifestations of intellectual disability, autism, and developmental disability. We aimed to determine whether students with such disabilities have differences in their motor proficiency. We compared the motor proficiency of 82 students (age, 11 to 20 years) with different severities of intellectual disability (borderline, 11 students; mild, 27 students; moderate, 19 students), developmental disability (15 students), or autism (10 students). The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second edition was used to assess motor skills. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and analysis of variance. Compared to students with borderline intellectual disabilities, mild intellectual disabilities, or autism, those with moderate intellectual disabilities scored significantly lower on al-most all items regarding motor skill on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. The results of this study provide key information for developing exercise programs to improve the motor proficiency and quality of life of children with various developmental disorders.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the motor skills and the behavior problems of students with intellectual disabilities. The study participants were 117 students with intellectual disabilities who were between 7 and 25 years old (male, n=79; female, n=38) and attending special education schools in South Korea. Motor skill abilities were assessed by using the second version of the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency, which includes subtests in fine motor control, manual coordination, body coordination, strength, and agility. Data were analyzed with SPSS IBM 21 by using correlation and regression analyses, and the significance level was set at P<0.05. The results showed that fine motor precision and integration had a statistically significant influence on aggressive behavior. Manual dexterity showed a statistically significant influence on somatic complaint and anxiety/depression, and bilateral coordination had a statistically significant influence on social problems, attention problem, and aggressive behavior. Our results showed that balance had a statistically significant influence on social problems and aggressive behavior, and speed and agility had a statistically significant influence on social problems and aggressive behavior. Upper limb coordination and strength had a statistically significant influence on social problems.

This study analyzed and evaluated the nutritional intake and nutrition quotient for adults (NQ-A) among 21 disabled national athletes preparing for the Tokyo Paralympic competition. A 24-h recall nutrition survey was conducted on the second day of training and one day of the weekend (holidays) to analyze daily nutritional intake. Dietary information was analyzed using the NQ-A questionnaire, which comprises 21 items. The athletes were divided into three groups based on the NQ-A score (High, Middle, Low). A comparative analysis of dietary intake of disabled athletes with the recommended dietary intake amount (RDA) was performed. The intake of carbohydrates (166.9%), proteins (112.3%), vitamin E (112.0%), thiamine (124.6%), riboflavin (100.2%), vitamin B6 (110.6%), vitamin B12 (120.7%), sodium (216.6%), phosphorus (118.3%), iron (146.5%), iodine (143.2%), and selenium (114.2%) was higher than the Korean-recommended amount. In particular, as the results of comparing dietary intake between the three groups showed, the low NQ-A score group had significantly lower intake compared to the %RDA for vitamin E (67.1%), C (26.3%), and Potassium (42.8%). However, with most nutrients, nutritional intake deficiency was not shown to be a problem.

The purpose of this study is two-fold: (a) to examine differences in the body compositions and the functional fitness tests across genders, age groups, and the test periods; and (b) to develop the functional fitness standards for older Korean adults. This is a cross-sectional study using data from the Korea Institute of Sport Science Fitness Standards. The data were derived from 155,256 old adults aged 65–90 who participated in the National Fitness Award Project from 2013 to 2018 in Korea. A series of t-test, ANOVA, and Cajori’s 5-grade method were used to analyze the data. The group comparison tests revealed significant differences in the body compositions and the fitness tests across genders (p < 0.001 for all items), five age groups (p < 0.001 for all items), and two test periods (p < 0.001 for all items, except for sit-reach [p = 0.138] in males and body mass index [p = 0.258] and grip strength [p = 0.130] in females). The study also proposed the guidelines for the functional fitness standards for this population. This study would provide useful information to practitioners to design more effective physical activity programs or interventions for people at-risk of declining health, thus improving health conditions of the older adults in Korea.