Postural control in children: Effect of discrete manipulation of visual information

Abstract

Postural control developmental changes are observed throughout the first decade of life. Despite all the efforts to uncover the mechanisms and processes underlying these changes, it is not clear yet when children integrate sensory information related to postural control similarly to adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of visual manipulation on body oscillation in children. Ten eight-year old, ten twelve-year old children and eight adults were asked to maintain the upright stance inside a moving room that oscillated discretely back or forward. Participant trunk sway and moving room displacement, in the anterior-posterior, direction were obtained through IRED markers. Dependent variables were mean sway amplitude and body displacement due to the movement of the moving room. Results revealed that young children oscillated more than older children and adults. Similar results were observed as a consequence of visual manipulation; with young children being more affected and displaying larger body sway than older children and adults. These findings suggest that postural control is not fully developed even at age of eight years and that children at this age still may have difficulties in solving sensory conflicting situations.