RESEARCH PAPER
Evaluation of postural stability in children depending on the body mass index
 
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1
Department of Rehabilitation, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland
 
2
Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw, Poland
 
 
Submission date: 2019-04-23
 
 
Final revision date: 2019-06-17
 
 
Acceptance date: 2019-07-09
 
 
Online publication date: 2019-12-17
 
 
Corresponding author
Katarzyna Maślanko   

Department of Rehabilitation, Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Marymoncka 34, 00-968 Warszawa, Poland.
 
 
Pol. Ann. Med. 2020;27(1):34-38
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Obesity is a common health issue among children and adolescents leading to serious consequences later in life. There are reports on postural stability in children in relation to their nutritional status, but there are few studies involving a stabilometric platform.

Aim:
A comparison of postural stability in children with normal body mass and obese children.

Material and methods:
The stabilometric study involved 166 subjects. The postural stability evaluation was performed with the use of the Biodex Balance System platform. The following four postural stability tests were carried out: (1) eyes open, stable platform (SI0); (2) eyes open, level 4 unstable platform (SI4); (3) eyes open, level 4 unstable platform with the screen covered (SI4SC); (4) eyes closed, level 4 unstable platform (SI4EC), and the fall risk test (FRT).

Results and Discussion:
There were statistically significant differences found in the SI4, SI4SC, SI4EC, and FRT tests in all the inspected parameters. Only in the postural stability test on a stable platform (SI0) no differences were noted. The most marked differences between arithmetic means obtained for both groups were observed in the postural stability test on an unstable platform with closed eyes.

Conclusions:
Children with obesity are characterised by increased instability on a moving surface compared to children of normal body mass. Obese children experience the biggest problem when regaining balance with their eyes closed. It is advisable to include training on an unstable surface in physiotherapy programmes for obese children.

FUNDING
None declared.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None declared.
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