Remote Exercise for Adults with Down Syndrome.

Abstract

Purpose: Adults with Down syndrome are less physically active than their typically developed peers. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of delivering moderate-to- vigorous exercise sessions, led by a trained health educator using real-time video conferencing, to groups of young adults with Down syndrome in their homes.

Methods: Participants were randomized to 30-minute group exercise sessions either 1 or 2 times a week delivered on an iPad mini tablet computer using the Zoom video conferencing application, and were asked to attend individual support/education sessions once a week using FaceTime^® on the iPad, for 12 weeks. Minutes of MVPA during all group sessions were assessed using a Fitbit Charge HR activity/heart rate monitor. Participants were also asked to complete weekly homework assignments involving MVPA.

Results: Twenty-seven participants (n = 14,1 session·wk^-1, n =13, 2 sessions·wk^-1), mean age 27.9 ± 7.1 yrs., ~ 41% female, enrolled in and completed the 12-wk. intervention. Attendance at group exercise and individual support/education sessions did not differ significantly between those randomized to 1 (exercise sessions =89.9 ± 8.8%, support/education sessions = 81.2 ±18.7%) or 2 sessions·wk^-1 (exercise sessions = 88.8 ± 7.7%; p=0.79, support/education sessions= 86.0 ± 20.9%; p=0.87). Participants averaged 27.7 ± 5.7 mins·session^-1 of MVPA with no significant difference between the 1 (26.6 ± 3.0 mins·session^-1) and 2 session·wk^-1 groups (28.8 ± 7.7 mins·session^-1, p=0.16). The completion rate for homework assignments did not differ significantly between the 1 (21.4 ± 26.3%) and 2 session·wk^-1 groups (37.7 ± 21.7%, p=0.28).

Conclusion: Exercise delivered by group video conferencing may be a feasible and potentially effective approach for increasing MVPA in adults with Down syndrome.