Promoting Physical Activity and Fitness

Individuals with childhood-onset physical and developmental disabilities often have special needs around exercise and physical activity. However, most books on this topic are written for exercise science experts who may not always be the frontline service provider. This book provides clear and evidence-based information on how to evaluate, train, and foster physical activity and fitness in individuals with childhood-onset disabilities safely across the lifespan. It is written for frontline service providers, such as clinicians and other rehabilitation professionals, as well as individuals with childhood-onset physical and developmental disabilities and their families. The authors thereby respond to specific needs and enable multiple parties to lead more physically active lives. Themes include physical fitness and activity assessment and training, safe engagement, measurement of activity levels and progress, and responses to pain. It includes disorder-specific chapters that apply the general principles of physical activity training to specific diagnoses including autism and juvenile arthritis.

Introduction: An Orientation to the Book and How to Use It 1 Désirée B Maltais and Reidun B Jahnsen 2 Principles of Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessment and Training 7 Tim Takken, Olaf Verschuren, and Erik H Hulzebos 3 Safety Considerations 27 Haakon Dalen and Reidun B Jahnsen 4 Principles of Measuring Physical Activity 39 Carol Maher and Dot Dumuid 5 How to Promote a Physically Active Lifestyle Across the Lifespan 57 Ine Wigernaes, Berit Gjessing, Anne Ottestad, and Kjersti Syvertsen 6 Cerebral Palsy 75 Désirée B Maltais, Reidun B Jahnsen, and Maria Terese Engdahl-Høgåsen 7 Developmental Coordination Disorder 99 Sara King-Dowling, Jeffrey D Graham, and John Cairney 8 Spina Bifida and Childhood Acquired Spinal Cord Injury 115 Ana-Marie Rojas and Shubhra Mukherjee 9 Childhood-Onset Neuromuscular Conditions 145 Craig Campbell and Katy de Valle 10 Intellectual Disability 163 Anne-Stine Dolva, Roald Undlien, Kaja Giltvedt, and Andreas T Sandfossen 11 Autism Spectrum Disorder 181 Ine Wigernaes and Ellen K Munkhaugen 12 Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis 199 Kristine Risum