Effects of a Community-Based Progressive Resistance Training Program on the Work Productivity of Adolescents with Moderate to Severe Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a progressive resistance exercise program on the simulated work productivity of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Single subject multiple probe design was employed to determine the effects of a resistance program consisting of bench press, military press, leg press, leg curls, leg extensions and biceps curl tasks, on simulated work activities consisting of box stacking, hand truck propulsion and pail carrying tasks.

Participants in the investigation were 6 students (Mage = 17 years, 6 months) currently attending high school in a rural community. Participants were classified as having moderate to severe intellectual disabili-ties . Pre- and post-intervention strength data were gathered with a Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester (Lafayette Instruments) and were gathered for maximal lift on each of the resistance exercises for each student. The students were paired into 3 workout groups and were held at low resistance levels until baseline in the work tasks was established. After work productivity baseline was established, application of the resis-tance exercise program began and was successively applied to each of the workout pairs.

The results of the investigation indicate that strength values increased from the pre-program assessment to the post-program assessment on all muscle groups for all participants. Percentage gains were comparable across all the muscle groups tested and on the dominant and nondominant sides of the body. For each of the resistance exercises, maximal lift values increased on post program assessment for five out of six participants. Mean values for all work productivity tasks increased in the intervention stage. Intervention had the greatest effect on the box stacking task for all the participants. Pail carry data was least affected by the intervention.