Socio-Ecological Factors of Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents With Down Syndrome: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.
Seung Hyeon Yang, Gayeong Kim, Kyua Kim and 2 others
PMID 41736473WHAT IT FOUND
Physical activity barriers in children with Down syndrome are multi-level, not just individual.
Parents cited overprotection and lack of time, while communities lacked trained coaches. Siblings and peers acted as key motivators. Interventions must address these social and structural gaps.
Key findings
01Parents often overprotected children from physical activity due to fear of injury or disappointment, and cited competing family responsibilities and lack of time as major barriers.
02Community programs were frequently unavailable, seasonal, or lacked coaches trained specifically for Down syndrome, forcing parents to educate instructors themselves.
03Siblings served as positive role models that encouraged physical activity, while peer interaction provided a meaningful social purpose for participation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were conducted in Western countries, which may limit the applicability of findings to other cultural contexts. The review did not classify participants by specific developmental stages, so findings may not distinguish between the needs of young children versus adolescents. Some included studies were of low quality, and there were no high-quality randomized controlled trials in the quantitative evidence. Several studies relied on retrospective parental reports, which may be subject to recall bias.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest and state they have nothing to report regarding funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of significant effect from custom-fitted footwear in the pilot study as proof that footwear is irrelevant. The pilot was small and likely underpowered, and qualitative data strongly suggested that foot pain and poor fit are real barriers for this population.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →