Quality of Body Posture and Postural Stability in People with Intellectual Disability Playing Volleyball

Purpose: The quality of body posture and its balance depends on the efficiency of the receptors, the good work of the central nervous system integrating and coordinating the postural system and the effective musculoskeletal system. Physical activity of people with intellectual disability can stimulate the processes of improving the posture and its postural stability, improving the quality of life.

Methods: The study was conducted in 2017. 20 randomly selected volleyball players with intellectual disabilities and 10 healthy players took part in it. Body posture was recorded using a photogrammetric system. To evaluate the use of the Frohner Posture Index and the Dolphens classification, stability of the posture was assessed on the Zebris FDM power plate, analyzing the basic stabilographic parameters sway path and sway area.

Results: Athletes with intellectual disabilities had significantly poorer posture and body balance than healthy players. There were no differences in postural stability between the groups studied. Some linear correlations were found between the quality of posture and balance and stabilographic variables.

Conclusions: Incorrect postural patterns, observed in people with intellectual disabilities, require the development of special recovery programs. Qualified physical activity can help them improve their balance systems, reducing the risk of falls and injuries. The lack of the possibility of an unequivocal relationship between the quality of body posture and its stability requires research on a larger research material. New evaluation methods used (Frohner Posture index and Dolphens classification) confirmed their usefulness and gave new possibilities of application in postural research.