Effects of physical activity on physical fitness and motor performance in persons with disabilities

Abstract

The present review was to describe some of the affects muscular fitness, cardio-respiratory fitness, and neural fitness in persons with disabilities. As to the muscular fitness, peak torque of elbow extension in upper-limb disabled was highly correlated with the extent of an individual's participation in sports and fitness programs. There was a good correlation between daily physical activity and oxygen intake (cardio-respiratory fitness) in the wheelchair users and in the visually impaired children. Regarding the neural fitness, children with mental age below 6 were characterized by wide variability as well as slowness in whole body reaction time. The results of this review suggest that there is evidence supporting the view that physical activity improves the physical fitness and motor performance in persons with disabilities.