Muscle power, locomotor performance and flexibility in aging mentally-retarded adults with and without Down's syndrome

Longer life expectancy is resulting in increasing numbers of elderly adults with mental retardation (MR). The objective of the study was to compare lower limb isokinetic muscle power, locomotor performance and flexibility of aged adult mentally-retarded individuals with and without Down's syndrome (DS). Nine subjects with MR and DS (mean age 61), and sixteen subjects with MR and without DS (mean age 63), performed leg power testing on a Biodex dynamometer. Parameters measured were dynamic torque, dynamic torque % body weight, and average power % body weight. Functional performance tests including "Timed Get-Up and Go" and flexibility were also analyzed and compared. Results indicate that in knee extension and flexion isokinetic power the MR group without DS showed significantly higher scores than the MR group with DS. The functional performance of elderly adults with MR and DS was significantly impaired compared with MR adults without DS, although no differences were observed between the two groups in the flexibility tests. It was concluded that muscle leg power, and gross motor performance of elderly mentally-retarded individuals without Down's syndrome is better than in those with Down's syndrome.