Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities often experience mobility limitations. Baduanjin, a mindfulness-based exercise intervention, can exert positive effects on functional mobility and balance. This study examined the impact of Baduanjin on physical functioning and balance of adults with intellectual disabilities.
Method: Twenty-nine adults with intellectual disabilities participated in the study. Eighteen received a Baduanjin intervention for 9-months; 11 participants did not receive any intervention (comparison group). Physical functioning and balance were assessed using the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and stabilometry.
Results: Participants in the Baduanjin group experienced significant changes in the SPPB walking test (p = .042), chair stand test (p = .015), and SPPB summary score (p = .010). No significant changes between groups were observed in any of the variables assessed at the end of the intervention.
Conclusions: Baduanjin practice may cause significant, albeit small, improvements in physical functioning of adults with intellectual disabilities.
Keywords: Baduanjin; disability; physical functioning; short physical performance battery; stabilometry.
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.