Postural control in strabismic children: importance of proprioceptive information.

Cynthia Lions,Sylvette Wiener-Vacher,Maria P Bucci,Emmanuel Bui Quoc

doi:10.3389/fphys.2014.00156

Cynthia Lions, Sylvette Wiener-Vacher + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2014.00156

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Abstract

Objective: To examine the effect of proprioceptive information during postural control in strabismic children.Methods: Postural stability was recorded with a platform (Techno Concept®) in 12 strabismic children aged from 4.9 to 10 years and data were compared to that of 12 control age-matched children. Two postural positions were performed: Romberg and Tandem. Two postural conditions: without and with foam pad. We analyzed the surface area, the length, the mean speed of the center of pressure (CoP) and the effect of proprioceptive information.Results: Strabismic children are more instable than control age-matched children. The surface, the length and the mean speed of CoP are significantly higher in strabismic children than in control age-matched children. Both groups are more instable in Tandem position than in Romberg position. Finally, strabismic children use more proprioceptive information than control age-matched children.Conclusion: For both Romberg and Tandem position, strabismic children are more instable than control age-matched children. Strabismic children use proprioceptive information more than control age-matched children to control their posture.Significance: Proprioceptive inputs are important for control posture particularly for strabismic population.

Highlights

The postural system allows the effective spatial coordination of body segments with each other during daily activities
The surface, the length and the mean speed of center of pressure (CoP) are significantly higher in strabismic children than in control age-matched children
Strabismic children use more proprioceptive information than control age-matched children. For both Romberg and Tandem position, strabismic children are more instable than control age-matched children

Summary

Introduction

The postural system allows the effective spatial coordination of body segments with each other during daily activities. 2% of children under 7 years old suffer from strabismus (Williams et al, 2008). In many cases, it is responsible for abnormal alignment of the eyes and abnormal binocular vision. Given the well-known importance of visual information for postural control in younger children (Shumway-Cook and Woollacott, 1985), we further explored how deficits of vision as is the case for strabismus could interfere with postural control. For this reason we studied strabismic children.

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