Sex Differences in Postural Control in Middle School Students (11-14 Years) Using Stabilometry

Area of Science:

• Human Movement Science
• Pediatric Health
• Biomechanical Analysis

Background:

• Postural control (PC) integrates sensory input for maintaining upright posture, reflecting neurological and musculoskeletal health.
• Establishing normative PC values in middle school students (MSS) aids early detection of balance issues.
• Existing research on sex differences in PC among MSS is inconclusive due to pubertal variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative postural control values in healthy middle school students (MSS).
• To investigate sex differences in postural control among MSS.
• To inform the development of sex-specific normative data for PC assessment in this age group.

Main Methods:

• PC was assessed using a force platform (stabilometry) in 164 MSS (ages 11-14).
• Twelve testing conditions included variations in stance (two-feet, tandem, one-foot), vision (open/closed), and surface (firm/foam).
• Postural sway was quantified using path length, median velocity, mean velocity, and sway area.

Main Results:

• Females demonstrated consistently superior postural control across all tested conditions and summary statistics.
• Significant sex differences in PC were observed favoring females.
• This indicates a need for sex-differentiated normative data.

Conclusions:

• Females exhibit better postural control than males in middle school.
• Separate normative values for postural control should be established for male and female middle school students.
• This differentiation is crucial for accurate assessment and early identification of balance anomalies.