Background: Dysphagia (swallowing impairment) can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, social isolation and even death. Current interventions for dysphagia include rehabilitation that improves swallowing physiology and function. Physical exercise is known to directly benefit skeletal muscles and may also benefit non-targeted…

Dysfunctional movement, a suggested contributing factor for musculoskeletal pain and injury, appears to increase as adolescents experience puberty. This study investigated dysfunctional movement among a group of ninth-grade physical education students to determine if a standardized functional movement warm-up (FMWU) would improve movement quality…

Dancers trained in classical ballet and modern forms are taught to use their core strength to execute movements with proper alignment. Pilates is an exercise regimen used by dancers to improve muscle conditioning, flexibility, and coordination. However, currently, there is limited research on the impact of Pilates for dancers which support these…

Young adults with autism spectrum disorder are an underserved population. Evidence-based guidelines for physical activity programs to address the lifelong needs of this population are presently unavailable. Our systematic review critically appraises the research to date on the effects of physical activity/exercise-based interventions on physical…

Physical activity is linked to increased motivation and academic performance, yet the majority of research has focused on elementary and high school children. The current investigation evaluated this dynamic in college students (N = 209) by introducing a physical activity break at the mid-point of a videoed lecture and were divided into four…

Background: Online exercise interventions can improve access to tailored programmes for individuals with intellectual disabilities (including Down syndrome). This paper aimed to describe best practices and provide recommendations for online physical activity or exercise programmes for this population. Method: Two research teams with extensive…

Clinical anxiety is a common comorbidity in autistic people. Due to the prevalence of anxiety in the autism population and the adverse effects it causes, there is a critical need to develop effective interventions which address anxiety symptoms for autistic people. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness…

Purpose: We investigated the effects of classroom-based physical activity (CBPA) interventions on academic performance and assessed the impact of different CBPA elements on academic performance. Methods: Relevant experimental studies in four databases were searched from their inception to September 2022. Random effects models were used to compute…

Background: People with Down syndrome often present with balance deficits, which compromise safety during daily activity. While evidence shows that exercise can improve balance in the Down syndrome population, it is unclear if a telehealth method will elicit similar benefits. We aimed to examine the effects of a virtual exercise program on balance…

Objective: The efficacy of effort appraisal exercise action plans was tested among underactive and inactive university students (N = 221). Methods: Students were randomized across three conditions (information, action planning, or realistic effort action planning (REAP)) and participated in psychoeducational small-group sessions. Students returned…

This study was aimed at investigating the effectiveness of assisted therapy (ACT) on manual dexterity in older adults with Down syndrome (DS). Nine older participants with DS, aged 31-52 years old, completed a 30-min stationary cycling session, three times per week for eight weeks of ACT intervention, pedaling at 35% higher than voluntary speed.…

Emotional and behavioral issues in adolescents pose significant obstacles to psychological well-being and academic achievement, potentially leading to severe mental health conditions. The escalating prevalence of these behavioral challenges can adversely affect a nation's educational, economic, and social health. This study aims to find…

Objective: Both aerobic exercise and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) improve depression, but perceptions of their credibility and efficacy are underexplored. These perceptions can contribute to treatment seeking and outcome. A previous online sample ranging in age and education rated a combined treatment higher than individual components and…

This pilot study assessed the feasibility and combined effect of aerobic exercise (AE) and mindfulness meditation (MM), compared with MM alone and a control (CON) condition, on stress, anxiety, and depression in high-stress college-based young adults. Thirty-two participants (84.4% F, 20.5 ± 2.7 years, 23.9 ± 5.0 kg/m[superscript 2]) were…

Aims: To determine the effect of a 16-week fitness program (strength vs. aerobic) on different indicators of body composition and components of health-related physical fitness in youths with Down syndrome. Methods and procedures outcomes: Fifty adolescents (19 girls and 31 boys; average age, 18.33 ± 1.42 years) with Down syndrome were recruited…