Background: There is a need for promoting exercise practice among people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Aquatic exercise (AE) could be a viable option in this regard.

Objective: To identify and critically analyze the best available evidence concerning the effects of AE in the physical and mental health of people with ID.

Methods: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative studies was performed after searching within several databases up to March 2021.

Results: A total of 4 RCTs and 3 comparative studies were found. Their methodological quality ranged from high to low. Aquatic interventions had positive effects on cardiorespiratory, muscular fitness and balance. Mixed effects were seen on parameters related to obesity and cognition. Scant information regarding feasibility and intervention fidelity was provided. In general, interventions details were not discussed in deep.

Conclusion: Preliminary evidence shows that aquatic exercise can be prescribed to people with ID in order to improve their physical health. The impact of aquatic exercise on motor skills, cognitive function and mental health remains unclear. Further research on this topic should provide a detailed description of the interventions carried out, including information on the feasibility and intervention fidelity.

背景：需要在智障人士 (ID) 中促进锻炼​​。在这方面，水上运动 (AE) 可能是一个可行的选择。

目的：确定并批判性地分析有关 AE 对 ID 患者身心健康影响的最佳可用证据。

方法：在几个数据库中搜索到 2021 年 3 月后，对随机对照试验 (RCT) 和比较研究进行了系统回顾。

结果：共检索到4项RCT和3项对照研究。他们的方法学质量从高到低不等。水生干预对心肺、肌肉健康和平衡有积极影响。在与肥胖和认知相关的参数上观察到混合效应。提供的关于可行性和干预保真度的信息很少。总的来说，干预细节没有深入讨论。

结论：初步证据表明，可以为智障人士开具水上运动处方，以改善他们的身体健康。水上运动对运动技能、认知功能和心理健康的影响仍不清楚。对该主题的进一步研究应详细描述所执行的干预措施，包括有关可行性和干预保真度的信息。