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Adults with visual impairments have significantly more health risks than do sighted adults because of a number of factors, including the lower mineral density of their femoral neck bones, which is indicative of reduced weight-bearing exercise; their lesser maximal strength; and their higher rates of stroke, osteoporosis, depression, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and falls. In this article, the authors investigate the movement of adults with visual impairments using two common clinical measures to gain a better understanding of the impact of vision loss on movement and health in adults who are visually impaired. They conclude that individuals who are visually impaired have an increased risk of chronic health problems and difficulty with functional mobility tasks that require strength and speed.

The Eurofit Special Test is a battery of motor fitness tests resulting from a 10-year project of the Committee of Experts for Sports Research and is comprised of strength, speed, flexibility, and balance. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the Eurofit Special was able to distinguish variations in functioning among individuals with intellectual disabilities. Significant differences were found in long jump flexibility 25-m dash, medicine ball throw, balance walk, sit ups in 30-s. Analyses demonstrated that the Eurofit Special was able to discriminate performance levels by gender, age, and level of intellectual disability (mild: 177 female, 368 male; moderate: 359 female, 476 male; severe: 92 female, 111 male). (Contains 3 tables.)

The relationship of muscular strength on work performance measures in high school students with mild mental retardation was investigated. Ten students from a self contained Special Education class were matched according to age, gender, height, and weight then randomly assigned to either the treatment group or control group. The treatment group participated in a twelve week strength training program while the control group participated in low intensity recreational activities. Isometric strength and work performance measures were collected three times throughout the training, six weeks apart, with a retention measure collected six weeks past training. Vocational measures included: box stacking (timed repetitions), pail carry (timed distance), dolly cart push (timed distance), and sack carry (speed). Peak isometric strength measures were assessed bilaterally for: elbow flexion and extension, shoulder abduction, knee flexion and extension. Based on a randomized complete block design with repeated measures, results indicated a significant difference between post to pre test on each vocational task. In addition, all isometric strength measures indicated a significant difference between groups. Retention measures indicated decreases in work performance and isometric strength for both groups. Based on data analysis, it was concluded that participation in a school and community based strength training program was effective in increasing physical functioning and work related skills. (Contains 1 table and 4 figures.)

Effect of a 4 s constant time delay procedure on motor skill completion durations was examined. Participants were four adolescents with severe mental retardation. Results indicated that data patterns between adjacent baseline and intervention phases were visually different and statistically significant in the direction of less time. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study compared physical activity levels of 17 typical elementary school children and 17 with mental retardation in inclusive recess settings. Boys with mental retardation demonstrated higher activity counts and heart rates than boys without mental retardation while no group differences were apparent on an observational checklist. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

For many populations the ability to move efficiently is compromised by an impaired muscular functioning. Strength development is necessary to overcome the effects of gravity to maintain posture and generate movement responses for mobility. The strength and power capabilities of individuals with total blindness (n-12) were compared to those with partial vision (n- 12) to evaluate effects of vision on per formance. Results indicate that (1) no significant differences were apparent between total blindness and partial vision, (2) significant sex differences were evident in each group, and (3) better performance was apparent at lower velocities. It was concluded that physical performance in individuals with blindness and partial vision are equally deficient.

Background. Despite inadequate empirical validation, sit-to-stand (STS) performance is often used as a proxy measure of lower limb strength among older adults. Furthermore, the relationships between bilateral isokinetic hip, knee, and ankle joint strength and their contributions to STS performances among older adults have not been established. The authors evaluated these relationships on 2 STS tests (5-chair STS test and 30-second chair STS test) in sexagenarian women. Methods. 47 women (mean age, 64.50 years) performed both STS tests on the same day and bilateral isokinetic (60[degrees]/ second) hip extensor, hip flexor, knee extensor, knee flexor, ankle plantar flexor, and ankle dorsiflexor strength testing within 7 days after STS testing. Regression analyses were performed using the average weight-adjusted isokinetic hip, knee, and ankle joint strength scores as the independent variables and both STS test scores as the dependent variables. Results. Regression analyses including all 6 leg strength variables explained 48% (p = .0001) and 35% (p = .007) of the variance in 5-chair STS test scores and 30-second chair STS scores, respectively. Ankle plantar flexor, hip flexor, and knee extensor strength were the strongest predictors for both STS tests. Conclusions. Although ankle plantar flexor, hip flexor, and knee extensor strength play essential roles in performing the STS movement, most STS variance was unexplained, suggesting that important additional variables are also involved in completing the movement.

The purpose of this study was to develop a regression equation capable of accurately predicting a 1 repetition maximum bench press in collegiate women athletes. The findings of this study could benefit future women athletes by providing coaches and trainers with an easy method of determining maximum upper body strength in women athletes. Sixty-five University of Georgia NCAA Division 1 women athletes from 9 different sports were measured prior to the start of their season utilizing 2 repetition tests to fatigue (25 kg: REPS55; 31.8 kg: REPS70) and a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) bench press test in random order. Other independent variables that were used with a submaximal weight to predict 1RM were total body weight, lean body mass (LBM), height, and percent body fat. The variables of REPS70 and LBM were the best predictors of 1RM utilizing Pearson product correlations (r = 0.909, p = 0.000; r = 0.445, p = 0.000) and multiple regression results ([R.sup.2] = 0.834, p = 0.000) for this population. The results from this study indicate muscular endurance repetitions using an absolute weight of 31.8 kg in conjunction with LBM can be used to accurately predict 1RM bench press strength in collegiate women athletes. Key Words: muscular endurance, strength measurement, performance prediction

Energy expenditures expressed in terms of caloric usage which are related to physical play were examined in four field experiments of play in primary school children. Results showed that physical play was more costly than other forms of behavior and games. Estimates of total energetic expenses of play varied from 6% to 15%. Findings were examined in terms of the relatively low caloric expenditures for play.

Coincident timing by individuals who exhibit traumatic brain injury was measured under conditions of no knowledge of results (no KR; n = 12), KR on every trial (n = 14), summary KR (n = 13), and average KR (n = 12). Following acquisition trials, groups performed immediate and longer retention trials without KR. Absolute constant error and variable error, analyzed in separate repeated-measures analyses of variance, indicated that during acquisition trials subjects receiving KR on every trial were the most accurate and the most consistent in their responses; however, subjects in groups receiving summary and average KR were the most accurate during immediate retention, with the group receiving summary KR being the most accurate during longer retention.

Coincident timing by 15 nondisabled individuals, 15 mentally retarded and 15 traumatically brain injured was measured under varying target-exposure conditions. Absolute constant error, constant error, and variable error were analyzed in separate repeated-measures analyses of variance for early performance (first block of practice), late performance (last block of practice), and retention (last block of retention). Subjects with mental retardation displayed the least accurate and most variable coincident-timing responses. Nondisabled subjects were most influenced by target-exposure time; subjects with traumatic brain injury were most influenced by target-viewing distance; and subjects with mental retardation were most influenced by a combination of target velocity and target-viewing distance. Subjects with mental retardation displayed a too-early response bias, while nondisabled subjects tended to have a too-late response bias. Individuals with traumatic brain injury had a variable response bias.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the magnitude and reliability of strength measures on the Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester for individuals with mental retardation. 17 subjects were given six trials with the dominant and nondominant flexor and extensor muscle groups. No significant differences were found between dominant and nondominant muscle groups by side or by muscle group. Interclass correlations ranged from .96 to .98 for six and three trials, respectively. It was concluded that the test was appropriate for reliably assessing strength in this population and that these individuals can achieve a sufficient magnitude on three trials for a reliable measure of strength.