Abstract
Using a pacer when administering fitness tests reduces the practicality of testing. Additionally, presuming that a pacer is needed for all Special Olympics athletes is potentially discriminatory. We examined the need for a pacer to enhance performance and the test retest-reliability of the six-minute walk test administered with a pacer (Criterion-m6MWT) and without a pacer (No-pacer 6MWT). Participants were n=18 Special Olympics athletes (men = 12, Mean age=37 years (SD=10.1) with low support needs. After familiarization, participants completed the Criterion-m6MWT and the No-pacer 6MWT. The order of the tests was randomized. A week later, participants completed these tests again. There were no significant differences between any of the walk distances and both the Criterion-m6MWT and the No-pacer 6MWT had high test-retest reliability, intraclass correlation coefficients =.90 and .93, respectively. The interclass correlation coefficients between the first administration of the Criterion-m6MWT and both of the No-Pacer tests were not as strong (i.e. r=.65 and r=.65) as the relationships between the second administration of the Criterion-m6MWT and both No-Pacer tests (r=.81 and r=.87). These results suggest that adult Special Olympics athletes with relatively low support needs can perform the 6MWT without a pacer if the familiarization process is expanded to include a complete 6MWT.
Highlights
Higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (Fogelholm, 2010; Zeno et al, 2010), fewer doctor and hospital visits (Mitchell, Gibbons, Devers, & Earnest, 2004), and better athletic performance (Larsen, Nolan, Borch, & Sondergaard, 2005)
Submaximal test protocols using a wide variety of exercise modes have been developed, a walking test may be preferred for individuals with intellectual disability as walking is common form of physical activity (Dairo, Collett, Dawes, & Oskrochi, 2016; Draheim, Williams, & McCubbin, 2002; Temple & Walkley, 2003)
A person is eligible to participate in Special Olympics if he/she has an intellectual disability as determined by meeting any of the following requirements 1) they have a cognitive delay as determined by standardized measures such as an intelligence quotient (IQ), 2) an agency or professional has determined the person has an intellectual disability in accordance with local policies, or 3) the person has functional limitations in both general learning and in adaptive skills (Special Olympics Inc., 2012)
Summary
Higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (Fogelholm, 2010; Zeno et al, 2010), fewer doctor and hospital visits (Mitchell, Gibbons, Devers, & Earnest, 2004), and better athletic performance (Larsen, Nolan, Borch, & Sondergaard, 2005). Among individuals with intellectual disability, cardiorespiratory fitness is predictive of mobility and daily functioning among older adults (Oppewal, Hilgenkamp, van Wijck, Schoufour, & Evenhuis, 2014) and levels of body fat among adolescents (Salaun & Berthouze-Aranda, 2012). In the field, such as during sports practices and monitoring fitness program results, cardiorespiratory fitness is often assessed using a submaximal test (American College of Sports Medicine, 2017). Submaximal test protocols using a wide variety of exercise modes have been developed, a walking test may be preferred for individuals with intellectual disability as walking is common form of physical activity (Dairo, Collett, Dawes, & Oskrochi, 2016; Draheim, Williams, & McCubbin, 2002; Temple & Walkley, 2003)
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