A stair-walking intervention strategy for children with Down's Syndrome

This paper reports the effects of a 12-week intervention study designed to enhance the stair-walking ability of children with Down's Syndrome utilising a concept known as active therapy. Active therapy is a training modality developed within special needs gymnastics (Spec. Children (1987) 12) designed to offer a holistic approach to movement therapy through the interaction of psychological and physiological components. Seven children who were regular attendees at a Special Needs Gymnastics Club participated in bi-weekly exercises designed to enhance stair-walking ability. To ascertain whether movement changes occurred two-dimensional biomechanical gait analysis techniques were used. Results showed significant differences in both ascent and descent phases post-intervention indicating changes in the movement programme. Results are discussed with respect to induced changes and the efficacy of such programmes.