Background: Children with Down syndrome have lower scores on balance and agility tasks, as well as on running speed, strength and visual-motor control than do children with other mental impairments. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of weight bearing exercises on balance in children with Down syndrome. Methods: Static and dynamic balance were measured by Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency on 26 children with Down syndrome. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups of equal size (study and control). They ranged in age from 2 to 5 years old and they were selected from both gender. A program of weight bearing exercises was conducted for six weeks for the study group in addition to the traditional physical therapy program. The control group received only the traditional physical therapy program. Results: The results revealed high significant improvement of both static and dynamic balance in the study group (p< 0.01) when compared with that of the control group. Conclusion: A well-organized program of weight bearing exercises could improve both static and dynamic balance for children with Down syndrome. (Egypt J Neurol Psychiat Neurosurg. 2010; 47(1): 37-46)
Key words: Balance, Weight bearing exercise, Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Down syndrome.
Correspondence to Samia A. Abdel Rahman, Departments of Physical Therapy for Disturbances of Growth and Development in Children and its Surgery , Faculty of Physical Therapy , Cairo University, Egypt
Tel: +020118004035 E-mail: yysamia@yahoo.com.