Analysis of the centre of pressure in bipedal stance among individuals with and without intellectual disabilities, individuals with Down syndrome and dancers with Down syndrome.
Dance training cuts body sway in adults with Down syndrome to near-typical levels.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers watched the adults stand still on a force plate. Sixteen had Down syndrome, sixteen had other intellectual disabilities, and sixteen were neurotypical. A fourth group of sixteen adults with Down syndrome had danced for at least three years.
The plate measured how much their body swayed in every direction for 30 seconds. The team looked at sway size, speed, and path length.
What they found
Adults with ID wobbled twice as much as neurotypical adults. Their sway was faster and covered more ground.
The dancers told a different story. Their sway dropped almost to neurotypical levels on three of the four measures. Dance practice had trimmed the excess motion.
How this fits with other research
Pitchford et al. (2019) saw the same pattern in teens. Youth with moderate ID swayed more than peers with mild ID. The new study shows the problem lasts into adulthood.
Diemer et al. (2023) found adults with Down syndrome took shaky, wide steps on stairs. Together, the two papers map quiet-standing and moving balance problems in the same population.
Meier et al. (2012) warned that kids with Down syndrome sit too much. The dance group in the target study proves regular movement can reverse some of the damage.
Why it matters
You now have lab proof that dance class is not just fun—it tightens postural control in adults with Down syndrome. If you run adult day programs, add a dance slot or partner with a local studio. Track sway with a simple balance board or force plate every quarter to show families the progress.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) often present deficiencies in motor, balance and postural control. On the other hand, the practice of physical activity and dance usually reduces these deficiencies. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to compare the control of the centre of pressure (COP) in people with Down syndrome (DS) or other causes of ID in relation to people without disabilities and to observe the influence of vision and the practice of dance. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyses the COP in a static standing position with open and closed eyes in four study groups. A total of 273 people were recruited (80 adults without ID, 46 adults with DS, 120 adults with other causes of ID and 27 dancers with DS). RESULTS: A greater area of oscillation and path of the COP was observed in the participants with ID compared with the participants without ID, especially in the sway area of the COP. The oscillation speed of the COP was also higher. When analysing the displacement of the COP, anteroposterior and mediolateral components, there were also differences, except when comparing the group of dancers with DS with respect to the group without ID. The visual condition only influenced the group of participants without disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that there is a less efficient static postural control in people with ID, as greater displacements were observed in the COP of the participants with ID. The differences in some specific variables that analyse the displacement of the COP were smaller when comparing the group of dancers with DS and the individuals without ID.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2024 · doi:10.1111/jir.13127