Postural balance problems in people with intellectual disabilities: Do not forget the sensory input systems

• Published in: Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 280 - 294
• Main Authors: Leyssens, Laura, Van Hecke, Ruth, Moons, Karlien, Luypaert, Sofie, Danneels, Maya, Patru, Julie, Willems, Melina, Maes, Leen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2022; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adults; auditory; Balance; Control Groups; Correlation; Ears & hearing; Experimental Groups; Eyes & eyesight; Gait; gross motor performance; Humans; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability; Mobility; Neurological disorders; Perceptual Motor Coordination; Performance Tests; Pilot Projects; Postural Balance; Posture; Time and Motion Studies; vestibular; visual; postural balance; visual; vestibular; auditory; gross motor performance; intellectual disability
• ISSN: 1360-2322; 1468-3148; 1468-3148
• DOI: 10.1111/jar.12948

Background This pilot study aimed to explore the impact of visual, auditory and vestibular dysfunctions on the postural balance performance in adults with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, a comparison was made between the subjects with intellectual disabilities and a control group concerning static and dynamic balance tasks. Method Thirty adults with intellectual disabilities and 25 control subjects received a postural balance assessment. Additionally, the experimental group was subjected to a visual, auditory and vestibular screening. Results The experimental group performed significantly worse and/or showed more sway compared to the control group for all balance tasks (p < .01) except the timed up and go test. Within the experimental group, a significant positive correlation (rs(24) = 0.513, p = .007) was observed between the number of failed sensory screening items and the number of failed balance tasks. Conclusions These findings suggest significant involvement of peripheral sensorial deficits in the balance problems that people with intellectual disabilities often experience.