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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Sit-to-stand-and-walk from 120% Knee Height: A Novel Approach to Assess Dynamic Postural Control Independent of Lead-limb
Published on: August 30, 2016
Postural control during sit-to-stand movement and its relationship with upright position in children with hemiplegic
Silvia L Pavão1, Adriana N Santos1, Ana B Oliveira1
1Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
Insights
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) show greater postural sway during sit-to-stand (STS) movements compared to typically developing children. Good static postural control is crucial for dynamic activities like STS.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts motor function, including postural control.
- The sit-to-stand (STS) movement is a fundamental functional activity requiring dynamic postural adjustments.
- Understanding postural control differences between typically developing (TD) children and those with CP is vital for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare dynamic postural control during STS in TD children and children with spastic hemiplegic CP.
- To investigate the relationship between static and dynamic postural control in both groups.
- To identify potential markers for assessing functional mobility in children with CP.
Main Methods:
- Utilized force plate technology to assess center of pressure (CoP) behavior.
- Measured CoP variables (amplitude, area, velocity) during static standing and STS movements.
- Included 23 TD children and 6 children with spastic hemiplegic CP (GMFCS I-II).
Main Results:
- Children with CP demonstrated significantly higher CoP values (indicating greater sway) at the start of STS.
- A positive correlation was found between static postural control variables and STS movement performance across both groups.
- CoP displacement and velocity were elevated in the CP group during the initial phase of STS.
Conclusions:
- Spastic hemiplegic CP is associated with increased postural oscillations during the initiation of STS.
- Static postural stability is a significant predictor of dynamic functional performance, such as STS.
- These findings highlight the importance of static balance training for improving functional activities in children with CP.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to compare postural control in typically developing (TD) children and children with cerebral palsy (CP) during the sit-to-stand (STS) movement and to assess the relationship between static (during static standing position) and dynamic postural control (during STS movement) in both groups.
Method:
The center of pressure (CoP) behavior of 23 TD children and 6 children with spastic hemiplegic CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] I and II) was assessed during STS movement performance and during static standing conditions with the use of a force plate. The data obtained from the force plate were used to calculate CoP variables: anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) amplitudes of CoP displacement and the area and velocity of CoP oscillation.
Results:
According to the Mann-Whitney test, children with CP exhibited higher CoP values in all of the analyzed variables during the beginning of STS movement. Pearson's correlation verified a positive correlation between the CoP variables during both static conditions and the performance of STS movement.
Conclusions:
Children with spastic hemiplegic CP present major postural oscillations during the beginning of STS movement compared with typical children. Moreover, the observed relationship between postural control in static and dynamic conditions reveals the importance of body control in the static position for the performance of functional activities that put the body in motion, such as STS movement.
