Resistance Training Program, Labor Inclusion, Intellectual Disability

Overview

Resistance exercise (RE) has been proposed as a possible strategy for prevention and rehabilitation of diseases. The increase in both muscle strength and the ability to perform tasks of day-to-day work environment and are well-characterized benefits of this type of training. The literature has been investigating the effectiveness of the RE for humans, yet few studies have been conducted with intellectual disabilities (ID). It is known that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, and stress, depression, difficulty in socializing, stigma and discrimination. In particular, the ID is less active and is more likely to develop secondary diseases.

This study aimed to correlate peak torque with work task performance (WTP) after application of resistance training program (RTP), consisting of 40 sessions, twice a week lasting 90 minutes each session. The sample was constituted by 40 individuals, which were selected from a survey of the records filed at Parents and Friends of Exceptional Children of Federal District/Brazil Association (APAE/DF), taking into consideration the following criteria: be inserted in the Professional Education and Labor Program (PELP) of APAE/DF, age between 14 and 36 years for being the most active labor, show no physical disabilities, do not have cardiac problems, who wish to inform the study and voluntarily sign the Free and Informed Term of Consent with their tutors. Although the participants are residents of various cities in the Federal District, it was not possible to avoid selection bias, since the sample was selected from a single institution, limiting, thus, generalization of results. After performing the pre-testing peak torque, by Biodex System3Pro Dynamometer, and WTP through 800m, climbing stairs and labor skill (to decorate two tables for 4 people, separated by one meter, for lunch with 2 tablecloths, 8 plates, 8 forks, 8 knives and 8 glasses), participants were randomly assigned to experimental groups - G1 (20 participants) and control - G2 (20 participants), and matched according to age, sex and per capita income, in order to form groups with similar characteristics. The G1 group participated in the RTP in number of eight, four for the upper limbs and four for the lower limbs. In order to avoid confounding bias, participants in the G2 group, along with their tutors, were instructed to continue with their daily activities normally and did not participate in RTP, as well as the G1 also instructed not to participate in other physical activities. The first Monthly cycle (two weeks) was developed in order to familiarize participants with the equipment and learn how to perform the exercises, avoiding, thus, evaluation bias. Subsequently, we applied the test of one maximum repetition - 1MR, to elaborate a spreadsheet on individual training with the participants. The second, third and fourth Monthly cycles were developed according to the spreadsheet elaborated timeline and orientation of the instructors, which were duly informed. After four months of intervention, all 40 participants were reassessed. This study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee at the University of Brasilia under the resolution 196/96 of the National Health Ministry of Health with the record 21/09 and is registered in the National Information System on Ethics in Research Involving Human Subjects - SISNEP with the number of Certificate of Presentation for Ethics Appreciation - CAAE: 0018.0.012.000-09. The Institutions Association of Parents and Friends of Exceptional Children of Federal District, Resistance Exercise Laboratory of the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Brasilia, Physics Resistance Gym and Nutriment - Center of Medicine Nutrition were contacted and informed about the research procedures by requesting formal practice of testing due to the participants in this study by signing the Declaration of Institutional Science.