Study regarding the role played by exercise in developing the lung capacity in teenagers with Down syndrome

Abstract

This research aims to study the respiratory modifications that happen after exercising in teenagers with Down syndrome (DS). The research is based on the pathophysiological theoretical notions regarding DS and theoretical–methodical notions of exercise. The study was conducted over 6 months, in the gym of the Faculty of Movement, Sports, and Health Sciences, on 20 subjects. Exercising was used as an instrument to reach several objectives, such as team work, motor skill learning and the reeducation of respiration. To reach these objectives, exercising was used as individual and team play, and to identify the modifications in the studied parameters, several methods were used: a social skill questionnaire and the monitoring of pulse and respiratory rate before and after exercising. The results of the study have demonstrated an improvement in the respiratory parameters, a consolidation of the motor skills and a development of the social skills.

Keywords: Down syndrome, physical exercise, lung capacity.