How Children Control Their Balance
Author Information
Author(s): Cuisinier Rémy, Olivier Isabelle, Vaugoyeau Marianne, Nougier Vincent, Assaiante Christine
Primary Institution: UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS/TIMC-IMAG UMR 5525
Hypothesis
Postural stability was more affected in children than in adults when somatosensory inputs were altered and this postural instability decreased as age increased during childhood.
Conclusion
The study confirmed that postural stability improves with age, showing that children aged 7 to 11 are more affected by altered sensory inputs than adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Postural stability increased non-monotonically between ages 7 and adult age.
- Children showed a linear improvement in postural stability from ages 7 to 10.
- Postural control was more affected in children than in adults when sensory inputs were altered.
Takeaway
This study looked at how kids balance when their senses are tricked. It found that younger kids have a harder time than adults when their ankle senses are messed up.
Methodology
Participants stood on a force platform in a semi-tandem position while their ankle somatosensory inputs were disturbed by vibration.
Potential Biases
Participants were recruited from a social middle class, which may not represent the broader population.
Limitations
The study focused only on children aged 7 to 11 and adults, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other age groups.
Participant Demographics
46 participants including 37 children aged 7 to 11 (18 girls, 19 boys) and 9 adults (2 females, 7 males).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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