THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE PROGRAM ON THE BALANCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the 12 weeks experimental exercise program on the balance of adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities. Participants were 15 adolescents aged 15-20 years (18.18±1.54 years) with mild disturbances in intellectual functioning attending a special school „October 14th" in Nis. The program consisted of games with the balls and polygons on the basketball court. The balance ability was tested by nine tasks of the BOT-2 (Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency). The results indicate that the applied exercise program contributed to the statistically significant increase in total score of balance (p = .002), walking foreward heel-toe on the line (p = .045), standing on one leg on a line with eyes closed (p = .027) and standing on one leg on balance beam with eyes closed (p = .006). The applied exercise program had a positive influence on the balance of young people with mild intellectual disabilities. Additionally, the results can provide useful information in optimizing the training loads of students with mild intellectual disabilities throughout Physical Education classes.