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Intellectual disability is a complex dysfunction difficult to define accurately. According to Schalock et al. (2010), it is characterized by meaningful limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour, expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills (Schalock et al., 2010). Many individuals with intellectual disabilities experience motor impairments. In this context, it has been demonstrated that people with intellectual disabilities have gait problems (Oppewal et al., 2018). Specifically, one of the most common problems seen in people with intellectual disabilities is the decreased postural balance. In fact, several studies show that they present lim-

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Context: Athletes with intellectual disability (ID) have a high risk of injury while participating in various sports. Warm-up (WU) is the most preventive measure to reduce injuries in sports. Objective: To investigate the effects of dynamic stretching WU (DS-WU) and plyometric WU (PL-WU) on dynamic balance in athletes with ID. Design: Crossover study. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: A total of 12 athletes with ID (age 24.5 [3.22] y, height 165.7 [8.4] cm, weight 61.5 [7.1] kg, intelligence quotient 61.1 [3.5]). Main Outcome Measures: Dynamic balance was assessed using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) at pre-WU, post-WU, and 15 minutes post-WU for both the DS-WU and the PL-WU. A 2-way analysis of variance (3 sessions × 2 WU methods) with repeated-measures was used in this study. Results: Following the DS-WU, participants demonstrated significant improvements in the SEBT composite score post-WU (89.12% [5.54%] vs 87.04% [5.35%]; P < .01) and at 15 minutes post-WU (89.55% [5.28%] vs 87.04%, P < .01) compared with pre-WU. However, no significant difference between these two post-WU scores (post-WU and 15 min post-WU) was found. For the PL-WU, participants demonstrated a significant decrease in the SEBT composite score at post-WU (85.95% [5.49%] vs 87.02% [5.73%]; P < .05); however, these scores increased significantly at 15 minutes post-WU (88.60% [5.42%] vs 87.02% [5.49%]; P < .05) compared with that at pre-WU. The SEBT composite scores are significantly higher in the DS-WU than in the PL-WU at both post-WU sessions (P < .05). Conclusion: Both DS-WU and PL-WU could improve dynamic balance and may be recommended as WUs in athletes with ID; however, particular caution should be exercised immediately after the PL-WU.

Our aim in this study was to compare the dynamic balance between runners (100 sprint) and non-runners with intellectual disability (ID). Our participants were 36 healthy male adults with ID aged 17–29 years, divided into runners ( n = 18) and sedentary non-runners ( n = 18). We assessed dynamic balance in these participants, using the Y-Balance Test (YBT), the Expanded-Timed Up and Go Test (ETUGT) and the Functional Reach Test (FRT). Runners with ID had significantly better balance scores than their sedentary counterparts on YBT (p < .001), the two walking phases of the ETUGT (p < .05) and the FRT (p <.05). Thus, running training (100 m sprint) was associated with better dynamic balance in this sample.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of young tennis players’ expertise on their postural balance (PB) under sensorial conditions with eyes open (EO) and with eyes closed (EC). Our participants were 75 healthy adolescents aged 15–18 years, divided into three groups based on their skill levels: (a) national tennis players (NAT; n = 25), regional tennis players (REG; n =25), and a control group of non-sport practitioners (CG; n = 25). We recorded center of pressure area and mean velocity on a force platform while participants stood in bipedal and unipedal stances in EO and EC conditions for all three groups. Statistical analyses showed that NAT participants swayed less than CG participants in all conditions and less than REG participants in the bipedal stance with EC and in the unipedal stance, both with EO and EC. Thus, tennis practice/experience may have improved PB in this sample, as high-level tennis players had better PB compared to novices, especially in challenging conditions.