Balance and Postural Control in Students with Hearing Loss: A Dance- and Rhythm-Based Intervention in a Special School for Students with Hearing Loss

Background: Children and adolescents with hearing loss frequently experience reduced participation in physical activity and impairments in balance and postural control, often associated with vestibular dysfunction and altered sensory integration. In this context, school-based motor interventions may represent an accessible strategy to support functional balance. The present study investigated the effects of a 12-week dance- and rhythm-based motor programme implemented within the school curriculum on static and dynamic balance in students with hearing loss. Methods: Twenty-five participants were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 15), which received the intervention in addition to standard curricular activities, or to a control group (n = 10), which continued with regular school-based physical activity only. Balance was assessed at baseline and post-intervention using stabilometric measures under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions and the Pediatric Reach Test. Results: Stabilometric outcomes showed mixed patterns: improvements over time were observed in both groups under eyes-closed conditions, whereas under eyes-open conditions greater reductions in sway were detected in the control group. A significant Group × Time interaction emerged exclusively for backward reach performance and for the composite balance score, indicating a relative preservation of posterior dynamic balance and a more favourable multidimensional adaptation in the experimental group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that dance- and rhythm-oriented motor activities integrated into school settings may support specific, functionally relevant components of balance in students with hearing loss, although the results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size and the heterogeneity of the participants.