Exercise Is Therapy - Kinesiology and the Autism Spectrum

My Students

Why is Exercise Our Therapy? Physically speaking, children with Autism suffer from poor muscle tone, core strength, balance, and coordination. Performing exercises (motor activities) using the proprioceptive and vestibular system provide sensory, motor, and social goals for our class.

My class is unique in that I focus on working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

My middle school students qualify for and receive Occupational Therapy services and Adaptive Physical Education services due to their disability. The services are funded by our school district. These wonderful, beneficial services are limited to a small frame of time for the student. OT services are on an individual basis in our classroom for a thirty minute time period once a month. APE services are in a group setting two times per week at thirty minute intervals. My students have IEP sensory, motor, and social goals all encompassing motor activities (exercise). This is an integral part of their educational programming that is charted and tracked. To make true progress and be successful, my students need access to exercise equipment specific to their needs on a daily basis, not on a limited basis!

My Project

Students will participate in isometric push and pull exercise activities using resistance bands. Students will use a bosu ball for balancing activities as well as a nylon strap stretched between two points to walk from one end to the other. These exercises don’t just provide motor planning. These exercises address motor, sensory, and social goals. The exercises work the proprioceptive and vestibular systems; therefore, the exercises provide sensory integration by taking the body that is over stimulated to a state of calmness. Teaching the behavior of “when” to take a break for calming purposes is a social goal our class is challenged with daily so these exercise supports are effective for managing social behaviors in the classroom as well. These activities also afford opportunities for socialization with non-disabled peers. Our goal is to have peers serve as tutors and be made available in our classroom during this activity.

Unfortunately, my students are not able to participate in regular physical education at school with their non-disabled peers effectively because of social limitations they experience due to sensory and communication impairments associated with Autism.

The materials we are requesting will provide our class with the same opportunities as their non disabled peers, the opportunity to have access to and use exercise equipment specific to promoting personal growth and instruction on a daily basis.