Influence of

1
Influence of Resistance Gaming on Physical
Performance among Disabled Youth Laurel
Erickson, Ken Hutchinson, and Tony Moreno PhD
School of Health Promotion Human Performance,
Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti MI
Review of the Literature For youth with
disability, movement is often constrained by
physical and cognitive barriers, thus limiting
the ability to conduct various movement tasks.
These barriers restrict the degrees of freedom
with which an individual can move about, thus
limiting the potential for conducting physical
performance abilities or tasks in a vocational
setting or the workplace. Seagraves, Horvat,
Franklin, and Jones (2004) state that individuals
with mental retardation have more functional
limitations with regard to adaptive behavior,
lower vocational qualifications, and reduced
physical capacity and motor ability. Further,
improved functioning of individuals with mental
retardation or similar disability may enhance
their capability to perform vocational tasks at
levels commensurate with the demands for
employment. Anderson and Behm (2005)
demonstrated resistance training can be used to
induce strength, power, and endurance adaptations
with a myriad of exercises and equipment that
provide a spectrum of stable and unstable loads.
The effect of resistance exercise on muscle
strength and size has been clearly documented,
but evidence suggests that resistance training,
absent of specific balance training, also has a
positive effect on balance. Previous work by
Seagraves et al. (2004) demonstrates that task
oriented skills (pail carry, chair stack, dolly
push, and box stack) can be used in an activity
setting to enhance muscular endurance. The
progressive resistance training sessions were
conducted in a circuit fashion, involving
multiple stations with each station containing a
different task.
Results Positive trends were evident for the
majority of participants, although the magnitude
of these trends within and among disability is
quite variable for each assessment.

• Methods
• 10 participants with physical and cognitive
  impairments 5 males, 5 females (ages 13-18yrs)
• Participants completed a battery of tests to
  assess
• Power
• Agility
• Anaerobic endurance
• Balance
• The following tests were performed
• Get-up and Pick-up Drill (w/ 3.6kg ball)
• Warehouse shuffle (25m)
• Static balance (how long on one foot)
• Students were exposed to a 12 week, twice
  per-week resistance gaming intervention within
  a secondary school adapted physical education
  class
• Resistance games incorporated physical
  activities (e.g., relays, agility courses, tag,
  etc.) but required
• Pushing/Pulling
• Lifting
• Carrying

20m Get-up and Pick-up drill (sec) 20m Get-up and Pick-up drill (sec) 25m Warehouse shuffle (sec) 25m Warehouse shuffle (sec) Single-leg balance (sec) Single-leg balance (sec)
Subject Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
M1 (DS/CI) 15.0 12.0 25.47 25.0 3.23 1.85
F1 (CI) 64 43 19.52 12.45 25 60
F2 (SXI) 26 24 83 58 1.16 11.55
F3 (CI) 13.8 13.1 28 31 3.71 8.29
F4 (CI) 13 13.19 33 44 2 2.78
M2 (ASD) 21.43 23.1 78 49 4.73 2.87
M3 (SXI) 15.58 23.1 32 52 7.94 28.77
F5 (DS/CI) 31 17.1 76 66 3 2.82
M4 (ASD) 11.79 11.1 34 24 8.87 19.11
M5 (CI) 8.63 7.1 15 14 11.87 39.29
Abstract INTRODUCTION Barriers that restrict
the degrees of freedom with which a person with
disability can move limit the potential to
perform particular skills among vocational
settings and the workplace. PURPOSE The purpose
of this study was to assess the influence of
resistance gaming on physical performance
capacities among youth with cognitive and
motor-impairment. METHODS Male (n 5) and
female participants (n 5) aged 13 to 18 years
with varying degrees of physical and cognitive
impairment (e.g., autism spectrum disorder,
Downss syndrome, severe multiple impaired, etc.)
from a secondary adapted physical education class
completed a battery of 3 physical performance
capacity tests to assess 1) power 2) agility
3) anaerobic endurance and 4) balance.
Participants were then exposed to a 10 week,
twice-per-week, resistance gaming intervention.
RESULTS Considering the variability in
disability among participants, positive trends
for improvement were evident from pre- to
post-intervention for the physical performance
capacities. CONCLUSIONS Physical performance
capacities (e.g., static and dynamic balance,
movement time, power, etc.) are the basis for
functional ability, enable one to expand their
motor vocabulary, and potentially become
purposeful for an occupation that requires
movement. Further research and application in
this area will potentially generate more
vocational opportunities for the cognitive and
motor impaired.
ASDAutism Spectrum Disorder DSDowns Syndrome
CICognitive Impaired SXISevere Multiple
Impaired
Conclusion Positive trends among physical
performance capacities (e.g., static and dynamic
balance, movement time, power, etc.) are the
basis for enhancing functional ability, enable
one to expand their motor vocabulary, and
potentially become purposeful for an occupation
that requires movement. Further research and
application in this area may generate more
vocational opportunities for cognitive and motor
impaired youth.

• References
• Anderson, K., Behm, D.G. (2005). The impact of
  instability resistance training on balance and
  stability. Sports Medicine. 35(1), 43-53.
• Heath, G.W., Fentem, P.H. (1997). Physical
  activity among Persons with Disabilities a
  public health perspective. Exercise and Sport
  Sciences Reviews, 25(1), 195-234.
• Kozub, F.M. (2003). Explaining physical activity
  in individuals with mental retardation an
  exploratory study. Education and Training in
  Developmental Disabilities, 38(3), 302-313.
• Seagraves, F, Horvat, M, Franklin, C, Jones, K.
  (2004). Effects of a school-based program on
  physical function and work productivity in
  individuals with mental retardation. Clinical
  Kinesiology Journal of the American
  Kinesiotherapy Association, 58(2), 18-29.
• Smail, K.M., Horvat, M. (2009) Resistance
  training for individuals with intellectual
  disabilities. Clinical Kinesiology Journal of
  the American Kinesiotherapy Association.
• Stanish, H.I., Frey, G.C. (2008). Promotion of
  physical activity in individuals with
  intellectual disability. Salud Publica Mex,
  50(2), S178-S184.

With physical activity, the enhancement of
function, increased motivation, and improving
personal-social skills are critical components
beneficial for students with disability. Adapted
or inclusive physical education settings that
utilize task-oriented resistance games may
provide the opportunity to transition to
vocational or workplace environments. In
addition, this facet of physical training may
offer persons with motor and cognitive disability
meaningful affective and tangible prospects for a
better livelihood throughout the lifespan.