Effect 0f 6-Weeks Aerobic Exercise On Physical Fitness Indices Among Down Syndrome Individuals At Therapeutic Inclusive Secondary School, Abakpa-Nike, Enugu, Nigeria.
C M Ugwuegede PhD
Department of Human Kinetics & Health Education, Enugu State University of Science & Technology (ESUT), Enugu.
I V Ugwueke PhD
epartment of Biological Sciences, Coal City University, Enugu.
Keywords: Aerobics, Physical fitness, BMI, Balance.
Abstract
The study assessed the effect of aerobic activities on certain physical fitness indices among adolescent DS in Therapeutic Inclusive Secondary School, Abakpa Nike, Enugu East LGA. Two research questions and two hypotheses in line with the purpose of the study guided the study. The hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. Two groups pretest, posttest Quasi experimental research design was used. The population consisted 28 male and female adolescent DS individuals in therapeutic inclusive secondary school abakpa nike. A total of 28 male and female adolescent Down syndrome individuals in the school served as research participants hence census sampling techniques was applied.. The materials used in the measurement of body parameters include; weighing scale, stadiometer and stopwatch. The training protocol, resting and measurement of variables in the study followed established standard. The participants which consisted of the aerobic group and the control group were not previously involved in any aerobic activities programme. Training was conducted three times per weeks on alternate days with each training session lasting for 30 minutes. Warm-up exercise that lasted for 5-10 minutes preceded each training session. Data were collected from 25 participants that met the criteria set for the study. Data collection was carried out with weighing scale for body weight, stadiometer for height measure and stopwatch for static balance. The analysis of data was done with descriptive statistics of mean, and SD while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was deployed as inferential test statistic. Findings revealed that the adolescent DS individuals in therapeutic inclusive secondary school Abakpa-Nike had BMI values within normal range. In addition, the static balance of these individual was found to be low. It was concluded that the motor skill development of adolescent DS individuals in the school is under serious threat which makes them susceptible to hyperkinetic diseases. It was recommended among others interventions in the area of equipment and facility provision with qualified physical trainers deployed to train and supervises these individuals in the school. The school management should reach out to PTA, government and non-governmental organizations for assistance in order to improve upon exercise facilities in the school.