Comparing the Effect of Suspended and Non-Suspended Core Stability Exercises on Static and Dynamic Balance and Muscular Endurance in Young Males With Down Syndrome

Purpose: People who have Down Syndrome (DS) usually have deficiencies in muscular strength, muscular endurance, the development of motor skills, postural control, and gait cycle. These muscular and balance deficits impair daily living activities in people with DS; therefore, attention to improving these factors in various recreational environments seems necessary. Thus, the present study aimed to compare two methods of suspended and non-suspended core stability exercises (Total Resistance exercises (TRX) and Swiss ball) on balance and muscular endurance in males with DS. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest and a control group design. The statistical sample of the study included 54 males aged 18-27 years with DS. Moreover, the samples were purposefully selected based on the study inclusion and exclusion criteria and were randomly divided into three groups (each group: 18 individuals). Stork test, Y Balance Test (YBT), and core stabilizer muscle endurance tests were used to evaluate static balance, dynamic balance, and muscular endurance, respectively. After measuring the pretest, the first and second groups and the control group continued core stability exercises with Swiss ball, core stability exercises with TRX, and their daily routine life activities for 8 weeks, respectively. Eventually, the posttest was performed after the completion of the trial. Results: The obtained results suggested that the core stability training groups with Swiss ball and TRX had a significant increase in the posttest scores of static balance, dynamic balance, and muscular endurance, compared to the control group. Post-hoc test results also illustrated that the mentioned difference was between both training groups and the training groups with the control group; therefore, in the variable of static balance, the core stability training group with Swiss ball demonstrated a more considerable increase than the core stability training group with TRX. However, in the variables of dynamic balance and muscular endurance, the core stability training group with TRX revealed more increase.  Conclusion: This study indicated that the core stability exercises with Swiss ball improved static balance, dynamic balance, and muscular endurance in males with DS. Thus, such exercises can be used in a different enjoying environment to develop some fitness indicators in this group.