1
Batman University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Batman, Turkiye
2
Batman University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Batman, Turkiye
3
Batman University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Batman, Turkiye
Abstract
Children with Down Syndrome (DS) often exhibit various motor developmental impairments such as reduced muscle strength, hypotonia, and insufficient postural control. One of the most effective methods to address these motor deficiencies is participation in sports. The purpose of this study was to compare selected motor characteristics of DS children who practice judo and those who are sedentary. The study included 33 DS judokas (10 females, 23 males) and 24 sedentary DS children (7 females, 17 males), aged between 14 and 17 years. To assess motor abilities such as strength, speed, flexibility, and balance, the standing long jump test, balance test, 20 m sprint test, flexibility test, 30-second push-up test, and 30-second sit-up test were administered. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine whether the data followed a normal distribution, and normality was confirmed. Consequently, Independent Samples T-Test was applied to compare the groups. The results revealed that balance and flexibility scores were significantly higher in DS judokas compared to sedentary DS children, while no significant differences were observed in other variables. In conclusion, long-term judo training appears to contribute positively to the development of balance and flexibility in children with DS.
Keywords
Down Syndrome,judo,motor skills
How to Cite
Yenturk Sisman, B., Celik, N. M., & Koroglu, M. (2025). Comparison of motor characteristics between judokas and sedentary children with Down Syndrome. Journal of ROL Sport Sciences, 6(4), 836–845. https://doi.org/10.70736/jrolss.2107
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Nuri Muhammet Celik
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