Mechanography in children: pediatric references in postural control

Area of Science:

• Pediatric medicine
• Biomechanics
• Neurology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of postural control is crucial for assessing pediatric development and identifying potential neurological or musculoskeletal issues.
• Existing reference data for pediatric postural control is limited, hindering objective assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish pediatric age- and sex-specific reference values for postural control measurements.
• To identify reliable parameters for automated balance assessment in children and adolescents.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, normative data study involving 739 children and adolescents (4-17 years).
• Participants underwent a standardized test sequence on a mechanography plate, including static and dynamic balance tasks.
• Reference ranges were determined using percentile calculations (LMS method).

Main Results:

• 38 equilibrium parameters were analyzed, with Path Length, vCoFmean, Equilibrium Score, and Sway Angle identified as key indicators.
• These selected parameters demonstrated low intra-group variation but significant age-dependency.
• Comparison with a previous single two-legged jump (s2LJ) assessment provided validation.

Conclusions:

• Standardized values for pediatric postural control using automated balance testing were successfully established.
• A subset of parameters was identified as suitable for automated balance assessment in clinical settings.
• This normative data facilitates objective evaluation of balance in children.