The effect of eight-week selected correction-balanced training on motor performance of intellectual disability students with developmental coordination disorder

Introduction: Inactivity in the people with intellectual disability leads to their impaired motor function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of selected corrective-balanced training on motor function of the intellectually disabled students with developmental coordination disorder. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial with pretest-posttest design. The statistical population of this study included 23 educable intellectually disabled boy student with developmental coordination disorder. They were randomly assigned to two groups of experimental (N=12, average age: 15.75 ± 1. 21 years) and control (N=12, average age: 16.73 ± 1.34 years). Written informed consent forms were obtained from the parents of the students. The experimental group performed the training for eight weeks. In order to assess the flexibility, gait speed, muscular endurance, muscle strength and coordination of the participants, sit and reach, 50-foot walking, sit ups, and timed chair rising tests were used. To analyze the results of this study, dependent-t test and covariance analysis were used at significance level of p≤0.05. Results: The results of this study showed a significant difference the two groups in terms of flexibility (p = 0.01), gait speed (p = 0.006), muscular endurance (p = 0.01), muscle strength and coordination (p = 0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that eight weeks of corrective-balanced training can improve motor function in intellectually disabled students with developmental coordination disorder. Therefore, sports trainers and teachers are advised to use these exercises to improve the motor function of intellectually disabled students.