Physical performance measures of young male football players with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability versus untrained peers

Purpose: The present study aimed to assess physical performance and its relationship with age and BMI in young male football players with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability compared to their untrained peers.

Methods: The study included 60 boys with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability aged 11–13 years, assigned to the study group (trained football at the Futbol+ Sports Academy) and the control group (untrained peers). Research tools was the Eurofit Special test. The data were analyzed based on the using chi-squared test, Student’s t-test for independent variables, or Mann–Whitney U-test, Pearson’s linear correlation or Spearman’s rank correlation.

Results: Young male football players with Down syndrome scored better for Standing Long Jump ( p < 0.001), Bent Knee Sit-ups in 30 seconds ( p < 0.001), 2 kg Medicine Ball Forward Push with one hand ( p < 0.001), and Walking on a Gymnastic Bench in the Upright Position ( p = 0.001), while for 25 m Run from a High Start, boys from the control group achieved better results ( p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant relationships of Eurofit Special test results with age and BMI.

Conclusions: Football training improves physical performance of boys with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability, especially dynamic balance, muscle strength of the lower limbs, upper limbs and abdomen. It can therefore be assumed that these characteristics are the most important indicators of the effectiveness of football training in these individuals. Age and BMI should not be considered as determinants of motor fitness in children and adolescents with Down syndrome and associated mental retardation.