Article

The purpose of this article was to provide a comprehensive review of the exercise
intervention literature on persons with physical and cognitive disabilities.
Electronic searches were conducted to identify research articles published from
1986 to 2006. Of the 80 physical activity/exercise interventions identified in
the literature, only 32 were randomized controlled trials. The remaining studies
were nonrandomized controlled trials with (n = 16) and without (n = 32) a control
group. There was a mixture of exercise training modalities that involved aerobic
(26%), strength (25%), and combined aerobic and strength (23%) exercises, but
there were no overlapping studies using the same dose of exercise for any of the
11 disability groups. Almost half the studies targeted stroke (20%), multiple
sclerosis (15%), and intellectual disability (13%), with significantly fewer
studies targeting other disability groups. The current literature on exercise and
disability is extremely broad in scope and has limited generalizability to any
specific disability group. A new body of evidence is needed with stronger
research designs that adhere to precise dosing characteristics for key health
outcomes (e.g., pain/fatigue reduction, improved cardiorespiratory health).
Multicenter trials will be needed for low-prevalence populations to strengthen
research designs and increase generalizability of study findings.

Langue : ANGLAIS