Comparison of Postural Control and Functional Balance in Individuals People with Intellectual Disabilities with and Without Developmental Coordination Disorder

Introduction: Balance in individual with intellectual disability has a great importance due to the failure to perform motor tasks. The purpose of the present study was to compare postural control and balance function in two groups of individual with intellectually disabled with and without developmental coordination disorder. Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional and causal-comparative. The statistical population of this study included all students with intellectually disabilities studying in an exceptional school in Rasht in 1398. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 52 people, including 32 students with intellectual disabilities with developmental coordination disorder and 20 students with intellectual disabilities without developmental coordination disorder were purposefully selected. BESS test, Y balance test, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test were used to evaluate postural control, dynamic balance and functional balance, respectively. For statistical analysis, SPSS version 16 software, independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U tests at a significance level of P <0.05 was used. Results: Based on the results of the present study, a significant difference was observed in functional balance (p = 0.001), and overall score of postural control (p = 0.003), but no significant difference in dynamic balance (p <0.05) was observed between the two groups. Conclusion: Developmental coordination disorder is highly prevalent among the individual with intellectual disabilities. At the same time, they have poorer postural control and functional balance compared to their peers without developmental coordination disorder. Due to the importance of controlling posture and maintaining proper balance in order to prevent injury of these people who are less physically fit than their peers, it is recommended to sports coaches, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and other related fields to take a variety of balance programs to emphasize on improving their balance.