Effects of an abdominal muscle exercise program in people with intellectual disabilities residing in a residential care facility

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to provide basic information as reference and guidelines for the implementation of abdominal muscle exercise programs for people with intellectual disabilities residing in residential care facilities. [Subjects and Methods] The study period was 12 weeks, from July 1, 2015, to September 30, 2015. The study participants comprised of 10 people with intellectual disabilities who were residing in a residential care facility. An occupational therapist measured each subject's weight and physical fitness (muscle strength and flexibility). Collected data were encoded by using items and analyzed using SPSS ver.18.0. [Results] Weight decreased significantly, and physical fitness (muscle strength and flexibility) increased significantly. [Conclusion] To actively improve abdominal muscle strength and health management in people with intellectual disabilities residing in residential care facilities, consistent implementation of abdominal muscle exercise programs and improvements are indispensable, as these could lead to the development of systematic programs for rehabilitation physical activities.