Comparison of Postural Control During Sit-To-Stand between Typically Developing Children Aged 4 to 12 Years and Young Adults

Abstract

Postural control is a fundamental requirement for performing all functional tasks, including standing up from a chair. Although there is a broad literature on postural control development in typically developing (TD) children, there is a lack of specific information on TD children performing the sit-to-stand (STS). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the development of postural control during STS in TD children of different age groups. Fifty-eight healthy TD children aged 4–12 years and 19 adults participated in this study. They were separated into four groups: 4–6 years, 7– 9 years, 10–12 years, and adults. All participants were asked to perform the STS movement with a self-selected pattern. Participants’ dynamic stability was quantified according to centre of mass (COM) displacement and velocity in the anterior-posterior, medial-lateral, and vertical directions during the four phases (flexion-momentum, momentum-transfer, extension, and stabilization) of the STS movement. The development of postural control was different in each phase of STS. During the flexion-momentum, extension, and stabilization phases, children aged 4–12 had higher COM displacements and velocities than adults. In the momentum-transfer phases, children aged 4-9 had higher COM displacements and velocities than other groups. In addition, children aged 4¬6 had the highest COM velocity during the extension phase of the STS movement. Children aged 4–12 years and adults used different strategies to control COM during STS movement. Adult-like postural control during STS was not found in children aged 10–12 years.