The Effect of Dual-task Functional Exercises on Balance and Gait in People with Moderate Intellectual Disability

INTERVENTION: Adolescents from the experimental group will take part in obligatory PE classes whose plans will be identical for all of them and will consist of general fitness exercises and music therapy. They will additionally take part in a 24‐week dual‐task intervention programme and will attend 45‐minute training session three times per week, working individually with the same physiotherapists. The programme will comprise dual‐task exercises in which on unstable surfaces (stability balls, sensory air cushions and soft mattresses) participants will perform functional tasks consisting of ADLs. All exercises will be accompanied by the physiotherapist’s verbal instructions about focusing on the task accomplishment, the direction and target of the movement and proper postural control. The effectiveness of the applied exercise programme will be assessed by examining the quality of balance and gait. Before commencing the intervention (test 1), after 12 weeks (test 2), after another 12 weeks (test 3) and after the 8‐week summer holidays (test 4) postural balance will be assessed in all participants of the project on the stabilometric platform Alfa and the quality of gait by means of a BTS G‐WALK. All measurements will be performed by the same independent resercher. CONDITION: balance gait intellectual disability PRIMARY OUTCOME: Influence of dual‐task functional exercises on unstable surfaces on dynamic balance. ; ; Dynamic balance will be assessed by stabilometric platform Alfa (manufactured by AC International East, and distributed by Technomex Ltd.). ; Influence of dual‐task functional exercises on unstable surfaces on static balance. ; ; Static balance will be assessed by stabilometric platform Alfa (manufactured by AC International East, and distributed by Technomex Ltd.). SECONDARY OUTCOME: Influence of dual‐task functional exercises on unstable surfaces on gait. ; ; Gait analysis will be assessed by means BTS G‐WALK (manufactured by BTS Bioengineering, and distributed by Technomex Ltd.). INCLUSION CRITERIA: moderate intellectual disability, ability to follow verbal instructions, ambulated without orthopaedic devices