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Published on: September 1, 2023
Reference Values for Standing Balance in Typically Developing Children: A Cross-Sectional Study
Hsiu-Ching Chiu1, Louise Ada, Theofani Bania
1Department of Physical Therapy, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Dr Chiu); Discipline of Physiotherapy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia (Dr Ada); and Department of Physiotherapy, University of Patras, Greece (Dr Bania).
Aim:
To establish reference values for standing balance in typically developing children.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 primary schools and 8 preschools, including 2,261 children aged 3 to 12 years old. Static (One-Legged Stance Test) and dynamic (Step Test) standing balance were measured for both legs. Stepwise regression examined the predictive roles of age, sex, weight, and height.
Results:
One-Legged Stance Test increased from a mean of 9 seconds (standard deviation [SD] 6) for 3-year-olds to 30 seconds (SD 0) for 12-year-olds. Step Test increased from a mean of 0.8 steps/s (SD 0.1) for 3-year-olds to 1.4 steps/s (SD 0.2) for 12-year-olds. Predictors explained 44% of the variance in the One-Legged Stance Test (age 41%) and 59% in the Step Test (age 57%).
Conclusions:
Age was the strongest predictor of standing balance. Most children by 7 years old already perform similarly to adults in both static and dynamic standing balance.
