Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities often experience deficits in muscular strength and balance, which can impact functional independence, injury risk, and sport participation. Grip strength and balance are core components of the Special Olympics FUNfitness screening program and serve as practical indicators of overall functional health. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine gender (male/female) and geographic region (Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America) based differences in grip strength and balance performance among Special Olympics Athletes. METHODS: A retrospective secondary data analysis was conducted using FUNfitness data collected between 2019-2024. Eyes-open balance performance and average grip strength were analyzed as dependent variables. Grip strength was calculated as the mean grip strength score between three trials on both left and right hands. Balance was assessed on a pass/fail basis indicating whether an athlete could perform a static balance task with their eyes open or not. Left- and right-hand grip strength were analyzed using separate two-way factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA). Balance performance was analyzed using chi-squared tests of independence examining associations with gender and region. RESULTS: The ANOVA revealed significant main effects for gender (p<0.001) and geographic region (p<0.001), indicating that gender-related differences in grip strength varied across regions. Chi-squared analysis revealed significant associations between balance performance and gender (p<0.001) as well as geographic region (p<0.001). A small Cramer's V was shown by gender (V=0.054) and geographic region (V=0.054) indicating a weak association. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the importance of considering regional factors when interpreting functional fitness outcomes and support need for region-specific training and health strategies within Special Olympics programs. The results from this analysis could inform specific deficits within gender and region and could be beneficial for future training strategies within Special Olympics groups.
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