The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of aquatic exercise on the health-related physical fitness, blood fat, and immune functions of children with disabilities. To achieve the aforementioned purpose, the researchers studied 10 children with grade 1 or grade 2 disabilities who do not exercise regularly. The researchers used SPSS 21.0 to calculate the averages and standard deviations of the data and performed a paired
In modern societies, rapid economic development and the advancement of automation technologies have made our daily activities incomparably easier, while driving people to adopt westernized diet patterns. These changes have led to many cases of overnutrition and a wide range of diseases caused by insufficient physical activity.
These issues raised people’s interest in various forms of exercises.
Aside from reducing the risk of various diseases, aerobic exercises are recommended to enhance our physical and mental health (
However,
This need is especially relevant to children with disabilities, who need regular physical activities because they tend to grow more inactive as they grow old, and need continued management (
Education on physical activities and movements has significance beyond physical development. It is one of the critical factors that affect the education and growth of children.
Effective physical education is particularly required of children with disabilities, as they are limited in their physical, emotional, and social abilities.
In other words, physical activities have high personal and social significance for children with disabilities. In light of the above, this study seeks to improve the quality of life for children with disabilities and their satisfaction with day to day activities by verifying the effects of aquatic exercise on the health-related physical fitness, blood fat, and immune functions of children with disabilities.
For this study, the researchers studied 10 children with grade 1 and grade 2 disabilities living in Y area, who understood the purpose of this study and signed the consent forms provided by the researchers.
With regard to the physical fitness assessment for this study, muscular strength (strength of grasp), muscular endurance (curl-ups), flexibility (sit and reach), and cardiovascular endurance (20-m shuttle run)—which were also performed in the National Physical Fitness Survey—were conducted twice before and after the exercise. As to blood pressure, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer after stabilization. With regard to the blood lipid, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), immunoglobulin (IgG), IgA, and IgM were analyzed through blood collection.
The subjects exercised for 16 weeks, twice a week, and each session took 60 min.
All data were processed using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 21.0 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA) to calculate their mean values and standard deviations. In addition, a paired
The researchers verified the differences in lean body weight, muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and muscular endurance, and found statistically significant differences before and after the exercise (
The researchers found statistically significant differences in TG before and after the exercise (
The researchers found statistically significant differences in IgG before and after the exercise (
This study sought to verify the effects of aquatic exercise on the health-related physical fitness, blood fat, and immune functions of children with grade 1 and grade 2 disabilities. The researchers found significant differences in lean body fat, muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular endurance, TG, and IgG. However, no significant difference was found in TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, IgA, and IgM before and after the exercise.
Based on the above findings, the researchers would like to argue the following points.
It is important for us to be physically active so we could lead a healthy life. However, what counts more is that we exercise systemically, with concrete goals to enhance our physical fitness (
Although of similar physique, children with disabilities are less physically fit than children without disabilities (
It was reported that aquatic exercise programs have positive effects on the physical fitness and body composition of children with disabilities (
Health-related physical fitness is essential to our day-to-day activities and motor functions. Such fitness consists of various factors like cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Among these factors, cardiovascular endurance is the most important as it predicts cardiovascular conditions. The findings of the
However, the researchers did not find any significant difference in TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C.
Meanwhile,
Lastly, there are various types of immunoglobulin antibodies that help us diagnose abnormal protein metabolism or lack of resistance to infection. Among these antibodies, aquatic exercise was found to have a significant effect only on IgG, the type that exists in the highest quantity and has the longest life.
Overall, the findings of this study suggest that intensity and frequency are two crucial factors for aquatic exercise programs for children with disabilities. If children with disabilities participate in long-term aquatic exercise programs that take their health and fitness in consideration, it is likely that these programs will have positive effects on their health-related physical fitness, blood fat, and immune functions.
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
Physical characteristics of subjects in each group
Variable | Exercise (n=10) |
---|---|
Age (yr) | 14.23±9.87 |
Height (cm) | 155.27±18.62 |
Weight (kg) | 56.49±19.71 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) | 22.66±4.52 |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation.
Items and instruments of the measurement
Instrument | Model/country of manufacture | Measurement item |
---|---|---|
Body composition | InBody 430 | Weight, BMI |
Muscular endurance | Mat, stopwatch/HS-3V, China | Partial curl-up |
Muscular strength | Digital dynamometer/ TKK-5401, Japan | Grip strength |
Cardiovascular endurance | Audio, CD recording paper | 20-m shuttle run |
Flexibility | TKK 5103/Japan | Sit and reach |
Blood pressure | HICO/Japan | SBP/DBP |
BMI, body mass index; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure.
Interval exercise for 16 weeks
Exercise program | Intensity | Exercise | Time | Frequency |
---|---|---|---|---|
Warm-up | Stretching and walking | 40%–50% HRR (7–9 RPE) | 10 min | 2 times/wk |
| ||||
Main exercise | Kick | 50%–60% HRR (9–11 RPE) 1–8/wk | 40 min | 2 times/wk |
Respiration | ||||
Pull | ||||
Combination | ||||
Freestyle swim | ||||
Kick | 60%–70% HRR (11–13 RPE) 8–16/wk | |||
Respiration | ||||
Pull | ||||
Combination | ||||
Drill | ||||
Backstroke swim | ||||
| ||||
Cool down | 40%–50% HRR (7–9 RPE) | 10 min | 2 times/wk |
HRR, maximum heart rate reserve; RPE, rating of perceived exertion.
Health-related physical fitness
Variable | Pre | Post | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Body fat (kg) | 15.14±8.13 | 14.88±7.87 | 0.728 | 0.485 |
Lean body weight (kg) | 22.68±8.57 | 23.54±8.94 | −3.431 | 0.008 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) | 22.66±4.52 | 22.64±4.63 | 0.148 | 0.885 |
Muscular strength (kg) | 12.23±7.73 | 16.07±7.84 | −2.324 | 0.045 |
Cardiovascular endurance (rep) | 133.80±92.02 | 179.60±108.51 | −3.191 | 0.011 |
Flexibility (cm) | −13.60±13.33 | −2.60±16.39 | −6.045 | 0.000 |
Muscular endurance (times/min) | 5.70±5.40 | 12.70±11.35 | −2.946 | 0.016 |
Waist measurement (cm) | 81.40±13.74 | 80.80±13.89 | 1.326 | 0.217 |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation.
Blood fat
Variable | Pre | Post | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
TC (mg/dL) | 166.50±31.25 | 165.90±23.20 | 0.083 | 0.936 |
TG (mg/dL) | 100.90±36.71 | 125.70±48.41 | −2.750 | 0.022 |
LDL-C (mg/dL) | 87.90±33.09 | 94.60±26.26 | −1.179 | 0.707 |
HDL-C (mg/dL) | 52.60±7.98 | 51.60±11.57 | 0.389 | 0.268 |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation.
TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Immune function
Variable | Pre | Post | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
IgG (mg/dL) | 1,074.20±39.64 | 1,151.60±193.31 | −3.236 | 0.010 |
IgA (mg/dL) | 157.28±52.07 | 155.14±53.87 | 0.475 | 0.646 |
IgM (mg/dL) | 117.89±54.25 | 116.65±54.23 | 0.453 | 0.661 |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation.
IgA, immunoglobulin A; IgG, immunoglobulin G; IgM, immunoglobulin M.