A fitness assessment test was carried out before the commencement
of the program. Each child’s exercise ability was measured, and
customized training was prescribed by trained physiotherapists. The
exercise sessions were all carried out in the hospital and supervised
by the same physiotherapist team and were of circuit style, with a
preset sequence of 18 workout stations; each child had to go through
9 stations in each session, twice per week for 6 weeks and then once
weekly for 1 year. Aerobic exercise including dance was incorporated
into the training. Each training session lasted 75 minutes,
including 10 minutes of warm up, 30 minutes of resistance training,
10 minutes of aerobic exercise, 10 minutes of agility training, 5
minutes of cool-down, and short rest periods between stations. All
children maintained an exercise intensity at 60% to 70% of predicted
maximum heart rate during the aerobic exercise (using pulse oximetry).
Participation in the exercise training program averaged 83% of
scheduled visits during the first 6 weeks and 79% for subsequent
visits.