Feasibility and Reliability of a Physical Fitness Test Battery in Individuals with Down Syndrome

Ruth Cabeza-Ruiz, Francisco Javier Alcántara-Cordero, Isaac Ruiz-Gavilán and Antonio Manuel Sánchez-López
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Ruth Cabeza-Ruiz: Department of Human Motricity and Sports Performance, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
Francisco Javier Alcántara-Cordero: Research Support Staff, Faculty of Education, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
Isaac Ruiz-Gavilán: Research Fellow, Department of Human Motricity and Sports Performance, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
Antonio Manuel Sánchez-López: Department of Human Motricity and Sports Performance, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder that occurs because of an abnormal division between cells that results in an extra copy of chromosome 21. Some studies show that physical exercise in people with DS increases some cognitive capacities, such as memory, and improves the quality of life. Aim: The main aim of this study was to perform an analysis of the reliability and feasibility of the SAMU-Disability Fitness (DISFIT) battery in adults with DS. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a test–retest design was performed in a maximum interval of 2 weeks in 37 subjects (11 women and 26 men) aged between 21 and 58 years old with DS. Eight field-based fitness tests were proposed to assess the physical fitness (PF) of adults with DS: Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the Deep Trunk Flexibility test (DTF), the Hand Grip test (HG), the Timed Stand Test (TST), the 30-s Sit-Up (SUP) and the 6-Min Walk Test (6MWT). Results: The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) in all the tests was good and high (>0.80), except for the 6MWT, whose reliability was fair. Conclusion: The SAMU-DISFIT battery is a reliable and feasible physical fitness battery which has been created with the purpose of establishing tests which measure the four basic components of PF (flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness and motor fitness) in adults with DS.

Keywords: Down syndrome; psychometry; physical fitness; reliability; feasibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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