Physical activity in the treatment of mentally retarded persons

Various studies have shown that short-term training programmes can result both in a marked increase in physical fitness and in definite improvement in motor proficiency in the mentally retarded person. It is difficult to pinpoint any specially effective components in the training programmes but the motivational attitude of the person going through the programme appears to be of great importance. The results of a few studies indicate that systematic physical activity can lead to improvement in the IQ of mentally retarded persons, a feature which may be in part due to increased self-confidence.