Postural balance: correlations with motor performance and anthropometric variables in children from four to ten years-old

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between variables of the center of pressure during upright position with the standing long jump test and the lateral jump sideways test in children from 4-10 years of age. The study included 153 children in this age group. The motor tests were standing long jump (JOHNSON e NELSON, 1979) and the lateral jump sideways test KTK's battery (Körper Koördinationstest für Kinder) of Kiphard e Schilling (1974). Stabilometry was performed with a AMTI force plate AccuSway Plus (Advanced Mechanical Technologies, Inc). Data normality was verified and confirmed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. For data analysis, it was used the Pearson correlation coefficient. According to the results, the strength of lower limbs, the agility and coordination, evaluated by motor tests, improved with increasing chronological age. The same trend occurred with the values of postural balance. The postural balance variables had significant correlation with the results of motor tests, which were in mostly moderate. Correlations were stronger in the lateral jump sideway test than the standing long jump test. Age was stronger correlated with the variables of balance than height and weight. The IMC has only significant correlation with the medium speed variable of COP, but this correlation was weak.