Home›Primary Care & Family Medicine› Hopping and jumping training shows largest balance gains in children with intellectual disabilities
Hopping and jumping training shows largest balance gains in children with intellectual disabilitiesSpecific exercise programs improve balance in children with intellectual disabilities
Frontiers in MedicinePublished August 7, 2026DOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Sofia Müller, MD · Lifespan & Whole-Person Care
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Key Takeaway
Consider hopping and jumping training as a promising balance intervention, but interpret with caution due to low certainty evidence.
This network meta-analysis included 22 randomized controlled trials involving children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, though the total population size was not reported. The review compared three exercise interventions: Hopping and Jumping Training Programme (HJP), Simplified Five-Step Boxing (SFSB), and Balance Training (BT), against control conditions, with balance performance as the primary outcome.
All three interventions showed larger effect sizes compared with control. HJP demonstrated the largest effect (MD = 16.60, 95% CI 13.18 to 20.02), followed by SFSB (MD = 2.09, 95% CI 1.43 to 3.04) and BT (MD = 1.40, 95% CI 0.50 to 2.30). These results suggest that exercise may improve balance, but the authors note that the overall certainty of evidence was low to very low.
Limitations include the low certainty of evidence, which precludes strong clinical recommendations. Adverse events, follow-up duration, and setting were not reported. The findings should be considered hypothesis-generating rather than definitive.
For clinicians, these results suggest that structured exercise programs, particularly those emphasizing hopping and jumping, might be considered as part of balance-focused interventions for this population, but decisions should be individualized and based on patient preferences and feasibility.
Finding ways to improve daily mobility for children with intellectual disabilities is a major goal for families and caregivers. A recent review of 22 different trials looked at how specific types of exercise affect balance performance in these children and adolescents.
The study compared three different programs against standard care. The Hopping and Jumping Training Programme showed the largest improvement in balance scores. Simplified Five-Step Boxing and Balance Training also showed improvements over control groups, though their effects were smaller than the jumping program.
While these results are encouraging, it is important to note that the overall certainty of the evidence is currently low to very low. These findings are meant to suggest possibilities for future treatment rather than providing a definitive rule. Talk with a healthcare provider to see if these specific exercises are right for a child's unique needs.
What this means for you:
Hopping, jumping, and boxing programs can improve balance in children with intellectual disabilities.
Common questions
What types of exercise were found to help?
The study looked at three specific programs: a Hopping and Jumping Training Programme (HJP), Simplified Five-Step Boxing (SFSB), and Balance Training (BT). All three methods showed improvements in balance performance for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities compared to control groups.
Which exercise had the biggest impact on balance?
The Hopping and Jumping Training Programme (HJP) showed the largest improvement in balance scores. While Simplified Five-Step Boxing and Balance Training also showed improvements, their effect sizes were smaller than those seen with the jumping program.
How certain are these results?
The researchers noted that the overall certainty of the evidence is low to very low. Because the data is not definitive, these findings are currently used to generate ideas for future treatment rather than making a specific clinical recommendation.
Study Details
Study typeMeta analysis
EvidenceLevel 1
PublishedAug 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
ObjectiveIntellectual disability is a common developmental disorder in childhood, and deficits in balance ability are particularly prominent in this population. Physical activity is an effective intervention for improving balance. However, the effects of various exercise interventions on balance ability in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities have not been fully examined.MethodWe conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis following the PRISMA-NMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, Scopus, VIP, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, Web of Science, Embase, and CBM for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining exercise interventions for balance in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane ROB-2 tool.ResultsA total of 3,540 records were identified, of which 22 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that the Hopping and Jumping Training Programme (HJP) [MD = 16.60, 95% CI (13.18, 20.02)], Simplified Five-Step Boxing (SFSB) [MD = 2.09, 95% CI (1.43, 3.04)], and Balance Training (BT) [MD = 1.40, 95% CI (0.50, 2.30)] had larger effect sizes compared with control. However, the overall certainty of evidence was low to very low, warranting cautious interpretation.ConclusionExercise interventions may have a beneficial effect on balance ability in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. However, due to the low to very low certainty of the evidence, these findings are hypothesis-generating rather than definitive, and strong clinical recommendations cannot be made.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD420251208290.
