Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
Postural Organization of Gait Initiation for Biomechanical Analysis Using Force Platform Recordings
Published on: July 26, 2022
Infant born preterm have delayed development of adaptive postural control in the first 5 months of life
Stacey C Dusing1, Leroy R Thacker2, James C Galloway3
1Motor Development Lab, Department of Physical Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
Insights
Preterm infants show delayed postural control adaptation compared to full-term infants, impacting their learning. This study highlights the importance of early motor development in preterm infants for long-term outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neuroscience
- Motor control research
- Infant development studies
Background:
- Infants born preterm face higher risks of developmental disabilities.
- Early experiences significantly influence learning and development in preterm infants.
- Understanding postural control adaptation is crucial for assessing developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the capacity of preterm infants to adjust their postural control in response to evolving task requirements.
- To compare the postural adaptation strategies of preterm infants with those of full-term infants.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 18 infants born at or before 32 weeks gestation.
- Postural control was assessed in a supine position under conditions with and without visual stimuli.
- Measurements included postural variability (root mean squared displacement of center of pressure) and complexity (approximate entropy).
Main Results:
- Preterm infants initially showed interest in visual stimuli but delayed adapting postural variability.
- Adaptation of postural variability, similar to full-term infants, occurred months later.
- Postural complexity remained consistent across conditions; infants learned to reach only after reducing postural sway.
Conclusions:
- Preterm infants employ diverse postural control strategies.
- A delay in identifying and implementing effective postural control strategies was observed in preterm infants.
- This delayed adaptation in postural control may impede the learning abilities of preterm infants over time.
Unlabelled:
Infants born preterm are at increased risk of developmental disabilities, that may be attributed to their early experiences and ability to learn. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the ability of infants born preterm to adapt their postural control to changing task demands.
Methods:
This study included 18 infants born at 32 weeks of gestation or less whose posture was compared in supine under 2 conditions, with and without a visual stimulus presented. The postural variability, measured with root mean squared displacement of the center of pressure, and postural complexity, measured with the approximate entropy of the center of pressure displacement were measured longitudinally from 2.5 to 5 months of age.
Results And Discussion:
The infants looked at the toys in midline for several months prior to adapting their postural variability in a manner similar to full term infants. Only after postural variability was reduced in both the caudal cephalic and medial lateral direction in the toy condition did the infants learn to reach for the toy. Postural complexity did not vary between conditions. These findings suggest that infants used a variety of strategies to control their posture. In contrast to research with infants born full term, the infants born preterm in this study did not identify the successful strategy of reducing movement of the center of pressure until months after showing interest in the toy. This delayed adaptation may impact the infants ability to learn over time.
