Effect of theraband exercises on muscle strength and motor development of individuals with moderate intellectual disability

Abstract

Individuals with Moderate Intellectual Disability (MID) have lower levels of physical activity than typically developing peers. Considering the positive effects of physical activity on health, it is vital to identify effective exercise interventions for individuals with MID in everyday environments. The aim of our study was to examine the effects of theraband exercises on muscle strength and motor development of individuals with MID. A total of 16 individuals with MID were included in the study. Participants were divided into experimental and control group by random sampling method. Theraband exercise training was applied on the experimental group (60 min/2 days/10 weeks), but no exercise program was applied on the control group. When post-test results were evaluated between the groups, there was significant difference in favour of experimental group in terms of muscle strength and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency- Second Version-Short Form (BOT-2-SF) total motor performance parameters (p < 0.05). The difference between pre-test and post-test values of total motor performance parameters of muscle strength and BOT-2 SF in experimental group were significant (p < 0.05). As a result, it was found that 10-week (60 min/2 days/10 weeks) theraband exercise positively affected the muscle strength and motor development of individuals with MID.