Award Date

5-1-2024

Degree Type

Doctoral Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

First Committee Member

Daniel Young

Second Committee Member

Thessa Hilgenkamp

Third Committee Member

Merrill Landers

Number of Pages

34

Abstract

Down syndrome (Ds) is a genetic disorder characterized by the autosomal abnormality of a third copy of chromosome 21. Due to the physical and intellectual disabilities that many people with Ds experience, they often need support with (instrumental) activities of daily living. Since adults with Ds are living longer, it is important to determine how exercise can affect mobility and quality of life in the Ds community. The impact on more functional outcomes, such as level of support and quality of life has not been systematically investigated. Therefore, the aim was to investigate whether twelve weeks of a remote, structured exercise program will decrease the need of support provided by caregivers and increase quality of life compared to those doing usual activities. The participants were randomly assigned to a 12-week exercise intervention or a control condition. The exercise intervention was based on the Mann Method PT and consisted of a one-hour exercise session 3 times per week, conducted via Zoom, while the participants in the control condition continued their usual activities. All participants were evaluated before and after the 12 weeks using the following assessments: Supports Intensity Scale for Adults (SIS-A) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL-IDD). The baseline level of support varied between participants, with no participant being fully dependent. This study did not confirm or reject our hypotheses on the effects of an exercise program when measuring level of support and quality of life in adults with Ds, and further research is necessary to further elucidate this question.

Keywords

Down syndrome; Exercise; Quality of Life, Level of Support

Disciplines

Physical Therapy

File Format

pdf

File Size

882.88 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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