title: Effect of rowing on pulmonary functions in children with Down syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine effects of a rowing exercise regimen versus a chest physical therapy program on pulmonary function in children with Down syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine participants of both sexes, between 8 to 12 years of age, participated in this study. They were assigned randomly into 2 study groups. The first group (A) received a chest physical therapy program, while the second group (B) received an aerobic exercise regimen using a rowing ergometer. Vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume after 1 second, and peak expiratory flow rate were measured before and after 12 successive weeks of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements in all measured variables were found posttreatment in both study groups. No significant difference between the 2 groups was found posttreatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rowing exercise could be effective in improving pulmonary functions in children with Down syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy for Disturbances of Growth and Developmental Disorders in Children and Its Surgery (Dr Kafy), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Physical Therapy Department (Drs Kafy and Helal), Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ehab Mohamed Abd
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: El Kafy
authors.forename: Omar Farouk
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Helal
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests