سمیه مظفری

Intellectual impairment is one of the most common mental disorders associated with impaired balance and impaired motor performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of game-based intervention on postural control and motor performance in children with intellectual impairment. The population of this study was all of the intellectual impaired girls of Tehran and Mashhad City, and sample consisted of 20 educable intellectual impaired girls, who were healthy physically and voluntarily participated in this research. The subjects were randomly divided into two equal experimental and control groups (n=10). The experimental groups had six weeks of game-based intervention with two sessions per week. During this period, the control group control group engaged in the routine activities of the physical education class. The Timed Up and GO and Stork tests were done as pre-posttest, respectively. Data were analyzed through descriptive and analysis of independent T-test. The findings showed that the implementation of the six-week exercise program led to improvements in static balance (P=0.001) and motor performance (P=0.001) of the participants in the game group compared to the control group. The findings of the study underline the importance of early, structured interventions for children with mild intellectual disabilities, particularly those based on game. Such interventions not only improve motor performance and balance but also contribute to overall physical, cognitive, and social development. Given the positive impact of game-based interventions, they should be integrated into rehabilitation and educational programs for children with intellectual disabilities to support their development and improve their quality of life.

Visual impairment significantly impacts physical activity participation, often leading to reduced fitness levels among affected individuals. This study aims to compare the physical fitness characteristics of male and female goalball athletes aged 14-20 years, a critical developmental period for performance enhancement. A total of 100 athletes (50 male, 50 female) were assessed for strength, endurance, power, flexibility, and balance through various standardized tests. Results indicated significant differences in hand grip strength, medicine ball throw distance, vertical jump, and balance, with males outperforming females (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in push-up and sit-up performance, suggesting comparable endurance capabilities across genders. These findings underscore the necessity for gender-specific training regimens to address identified disparities, particularly in strength and power. The study contributes to a limited body of literature on the physical fitness of goalball players and highlights implications for inclusive training strategies that enhance athletic performance regardless of gender. Future research should explore the correlation between physical fitness attributes and on-court performance metrics to further inform coaching practices.