Effect of Special Olympics Program on Cross-Country Skiers: Aspects of Health Related Variables
| Title in English | Effect of Special Olympics program on cross-country skiers: aspects of health related variables. |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Focused attention on the healthy lifestyle of individuals with intellectual disability has been realised thanks to the Special Olympics Healthy Athlete Program, particularly "Health Promotion and FUNFitness". A comparsion of healthy behaviour and fitness variables will provide an important background to this study, not only for involvement in so-called Low Level and Intermediate Level events in individual sports, but also for training and for education in healthy living and therapy for people with mental disabilities. Involvement in sports at a competitive level is relevant to SO phislosophy, with participation in competitions depending on the leveel of ability for which a couach is responsibility. Being that cross-country skiing is very popular in Czech Republic, this article has thus been oriented towards this sport. The aim of the study wa: 1. to collect data related to the health and fitness variables of Special Olympians competing as cross-country skiers; 2. to compare this data with the real results of cross-country skiing competition according to the gender and the level of event. 3. To formulate recommendations for participants. A cohort of Czech Special Olympians (39 male, 15 female)where included in the research and analysis. these were cross-country skiers of an average age of 39,79 years, all of them in the spectrum of a moderate level of intellectual disability, with 3years' experience in cross-country training and competition. the data was collected over one week during the Czech National Winter Games. Data collection: a) a verbal survey oriented towards healthy lifestyles; b) assessment of fitness variables regarding Special Olympics Healthy Athlete Manual in cluster of cardiovacular fitness, Body Mass Index, strength of legs, strength of abdominal muscles, strength of hands;, c) results of cross-country race at Low Level and Intermedium Level. Descriptive statistics and logical data analysis was used in statistical analysis. The results showed that all the variables determined were lower compared to the general population in thsi age group, especiali in term of Heart Rate variables. The BMI was comparable to the average of the general population, especially in Intermediate competitors. There were no dramatic differences between gender groups, but significant differences were found between ability levels in all aspects of variables. This fact ccan be considered as providing a positive selection for adequate competitive level (responsibility of coachces) but probably the lack of training, being that some of variables important for cross-country mastering (balance, hand strength, cardiovacular fitness) marked higher abilities, which is then the challange for their involvement in a higher level of competition events. |