Effects of kayaking on motor skills in children and adolescents with down syndrome

Abstract

Introduction: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic condition characterized by an inadequate numerical distribution in chromosome pairing, with extra genetic material related to pair 21 leading to alterations that affect the development of several motor components. Objective: To analyze the effects of kayak training for eight weeks on the gross motor skills of children and adolescents with DS. Methods: Seven individuals with DS (10.8 ± 2 years), four males and three females, participated in the study. The Body Coordination Test for Children (Körperkoordination Test für Kinder, KTK) battery was used to assess gross motor skills. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare pre- and post-KTK gross motor skill values, and the Mann-Whitney test to compare subjects by sex. Effect size was calculated using Cohen’s scale (1977) and a significance level of p <0.05 was adopted. Results: The subjects presented statistically significant results in all tasks of the gross motor coordination test, and the effect produced by the intervention was moderate. Conclusion: It can be concluded that eight weeks of kayak training are sufficient to produce a development in the gross motor skills of children and adolescents with Down syndrome. Level of Evidence IV; Case series.