Effects of an Eight-Week Pilates Exercise Program on Some Physical Fitness Factors and Kinetic Performance in Girl Students with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Introduction: Many studies have reported improved cardiorespiratory stamina, muscular strength, and flexibility as a result of Pilates workouts in healthy individuals. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of these workouts on physical fitness factors and kinetic performance in girl students with intellectual disability. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 40 volunteer subjects with intellectual disability. The subjects were selected through convenience sampling. The subjects were randomly divided into control and experimental groups (n = 20 subjects). The experimental group took part in an 8-week program of 1-hour exercising sessions, 3 times a week. The control group did not have any exercise program during the study and kept their routine life. Subjects’ cardiorespiratory stamina, muscular strength, muscular stamina, flexibility, and body composition indices of height, weight, body fat percentage, Body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and kinetic performance were measured 24 hours before and after the exercising program. Paired t-test was utilized to compare intragroup changes and means of the collected data. Results: No significant difference was observed in means of pretest and posttest in any of the variables in the control group. Nevertheless, Pilates workouts significantly influenced all variables in female students with intellectual disability in the experimental group. Conclusion: It seems that the 8-week Pilates workout program significantly improved physical fitness factors and kinetic performance in the subjects under study, and thus, enhanced their quality of life (QOL).