Postural balance problems in people with intellectual disabilities: Do not forget the sensory input systems

BACKGROUND This pilot study aimed to explore the impact of visual, auditory and vestibular dysfunctions on the postural balance performance in adults with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, a comparison was made between the subjects with intellectual disabilities and a control group concerning static and dynamic balance tasks. METHOD Thirty adults with intellectual disabilities and 25 control subjects received a postural balance assessment. Additionally, the experimental group was subjected to a visual, auditory and vestibular screening. RESULTS The experimental group performed significantly worse and/or showed more sway compared to the control group for all balance tasks (p