Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026
14:52
Computerized Dynamic Posturography for Postural Control Assessment in Patients with Intermittent Claudication
Published on: December 11, 2013
12.3K
Postural control assessment in students with normal hearing and sensorineural hearing loss
Renato de Souza Melo1, Andrea Lemos2, Carla Fabiana da Silva Toscano Macky3
1Department of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brasil; Department of Physiotherapy, Centro Universitário do Vale do Ipojuca (UNIFAVIP/DeVry), Caruaru, PE, Brasil.
Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
|November 11, 2014
Summary
Children with sensorineural hearing loss exhibit poorer postural control compared to their hearing peers. This study highlights the impact of hearing impairment on balance and stability in young individuals.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children is linked to vestibular system hypoactivity.
- This can lead to significant postural control instabilities.
- Internal ear damage is a potential cause of these vestibular deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare postural control stability between students with normal hearing and those with SNHL.
- To analyze differences considering gender and age groups.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 96 students (48 normal hearing, 48 SNHL), aged 7-18 years.
- Postural control assessed using the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) on stable and unstable surfaces.
- Statistical analysis performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Main Results:
- Students with SNHL demonstrated significantly greater postural control instability than normal-hearing students.
- Differences were significant on both stable (p<0.001) and unstable (p<0.001) surfaces.
- No specific mention of gender or age-related differences in the abstract's results.
Conclusions:
- Children with SNHL exhibit markedly poorer postural control compared to their normal-hearing counterparts.
- This instability is evident across different sensory conditions.
- Vestibular function deficits associated with SNHL likely contribute to impaired balance in affected children.
