Comparative Study of One Motor Abilities Components (Balance) Between Normal Children and Mentally Retarded Children

Abstract

Athletic activity has an important role in a person's life especially during childhood. Athletic activity develops the child's mental and motor abilities. For mentally retarded children it is more important to take special care of them due to their retardation. Improving the mentally retarded child's motor abilities has special importance because it increases the child's ability to adapt to daily situations. Balance is one of the basic abilities that both normal and retarded children needs. Balance assures safe performance and improves neural muscular coordination which is considered an indictor for correct balance. The importance of the study lies in identifying the differences in balance between normal children and mentally retarded children so as to be able to design proper programs and rehabilitation movements for them. The problem of the study lies in the limitations of motor ability programs for the mentally retarded that cause lack of balance in their movements submitting them to many dangerous situations. The researcher hypothesized statistical differences between normal children and mentally retarded children in favor of normal children. He finally concluded statistical differences in favor of normal children in some balancing movements and recommended concentrating on balancing movements when designing Physical Education programs for mentally retarded childrenل