Physical fitness profile of elite athletes with intellectual disability

Abstract

It can be concluded that high-performance athletes with ID reach physical fitness levels that are equal to or lower than those of able-bodied sportive counterparts. Further research should investigate the importance of reduced muscle strength to be the limiting factor.

Physical Exercise Frequency Seem not to Influence Postural Balance but Trunk Muscle Endurance in Young Persons with Intellectual Disability

“…Only one study has investigated postural balance and muscle performance among very physically active individuals with ID (van de Vliet, Rintala, Fröjd, Verellen, van Houtte, Daly,Vanlandewijck, 2006). This study examined 313 athletes aged 17 to 49 competing in the International Sports Federation for Para-athletes with an Intellectual Disability's (INAS-FID) Global Games in 2004.…”

Coaches´ and referees´ opinion about the influence of intellectual impairment on fundamental basketball activities

“…For motor and skills component, Van de Vliet, Rintala, Fröjd, Verellen, Van Houtte, Daly, & Vanlandewijck (2006) concluded that high-performance II-athletes reached physical fitness levels equal or lower than those of able-bodied sportive counterparts. However, in the present study, coaches and referees indicated that II influenced negatively on several fitness components.…”

Influence of intellectual impairment on basketball performance = Influencia de la discapacidad intelectual sobre el rendimiento en baloncesto

“…In the side of fitness, several studies reported poor levels on general standard fitness tests in individuals with II (Carmeli et al, 2008;Cuesta-Vargas, Paz-Lourido, & Rodriguez, 2011;Frey, Stanish, & Temple, 2008;Graham & Reid, 2000;Van de Vliet et al, 2006). Cardiovascular fitness was reported by Pitetti, Yarmer, & Fernhall (2001) to be lower in 20m shuttle run test comparing with matched AB-individuals.…”

“…They suggested that these differences were related to a central nervous system failure to activate motor units and to some abnormal intrinsic muscle properties. These lower results could be also attributed to other factors including (a) sedentary lifestyle, (b) poor motivation to perform a test (c) the lack of possibilities to take part into physical activities (d) difficulties to accurate fitness assessment in this population, (e) physical characteristics such as short stature, postural control problems, and cardiovascular insufficiency (f) chronotropic incompetence (misbalance between maximal heart rate and metabolic levels at maximal or submaximal effort) and (g) reduced strength (Borji et al, 2014;Graham & Reid, 2000;Stanišić, 2012;Van de Vliet et al, 2006). Several studies indicated that athletes with higher degree of II scored lower in motor skills and fitness tasks (Elmahgoub, Van de Velde, Peersman, Cambier, & Calders, 2012;Golubovic et al, 2012;Lejčarová, 2009).…”

“…One of the first studies dealing with II-athletes in order to identify how II might impact on sport performance was carried out by Van de Vliet et al (2006). This study focused in the relationship of physical fitness and II like in the previous point; however, in this case authors compared physical fitness profile between high-performance II-athletes and physical education students using the EUROFIT test.…”