Mediolateral Postural Control Mechanisms and Proprioception Improve With Kicking Sports Training During Adolescence

Abstract

Sensorimotor stimulation during the sensitive period is crucial for proper brain development. Kicking sports (KS) training stimulates these sensorimotor functions. The purpose of this study was to investigate if incorporating specific sensorimotor stimulation in mediolateral axis and proprioceptive inputs during KS training will improve the specific sensorimotor performance in adolescents. We assessed stability limits in 13 KS practitioners and 20 control participants. Starting from an upright position, subjects were asked to lean as far as possible (forward, backward, rightward, and leftward). Three sensory conditions were tested: (1) eyes open, (2) eyes closed, and (3) eyes closed while standing on a foam mat. We analyzed the maximal center of pressure excursion and the root means square of the center of pressure displacements. Results showed that KS group had smaller root means square and larger maximal center of pressure excursions than those of control participants in mediolateral axis in all sensory conditions. Furthermore, the results also revealed a significant smaller root means square excursion in KS group under foam mat condition compared to control group ML axis. This study provides evidence that KS training improved the lateral balance control and proprioceptive integration.

Impacts of Developmental Coordination Disorder on Postural Control Mechanisms in Children and Early Adolescents

“…These exacerbated deficits in the ML axis could also support the hypothesis of motor delay in DCD. It was shown that the early adolescence is a sensitive period for ML postural development (Blanchet et al, 2019;Blanchet & Prince, 2023). In fact, to the same LoS protocol, a study has revealed that the ML axis has not yet reached maturity in ML at age 11 but has reached it in AP (Blanchet et al, 2019).…”

“…APAs constitute an important stage before each onset of movement to plan the kinematic and kinetic parameters of the leaning movement efficiently and precisely in relation to the estimated maximal LoS position and the forthcoming external forces that will be applied to the body (destabilizing torque, inertia, verticality changing, etc.) (Benvenuti et al, 1999;Blanchet & Prince, 2023;Manista & Ahmed, 2012). Several authors have documented atypical aspects of anticipatory postural control processes in children and adolescents with DCD, but there are only very few studies that have evaluated CoP APAs, and no study has assessed APAs in relation to voluntary maximal leaning.…”

“…Similarly, in other voluntary dynamic postural tasks, the children with DCD have significant velocity and timing ML postural control deficits compared to their peers (Deconinck et al, 2010;Wilmut & Barnett, 2017). The body weight transfers (load/unload mechanism) that are required along the ML postural control (hip strategy) could be more demanding and more complex than the transfers required along the AP axis, in which balance is under ankle control (plantar/dorsiflexor) (Blanchet et al, 2019(Blanchet et al, , 2021bBlanchet & Prince, 2023;Winter et al, 1996). Several studies have shown that the difference between children with DCD and their peers increased with the complexity of postural tasks (Adams et al, 2014;INSERM, 2019;Verbecque et al, 2021;Wilson et al, 2013).…”

“…IMPACTS OF THE DCD ON POSTURAL CONTROL MECHANISMS the initially perceived and anticipated LoS position, and (c) online adaptions to reach the maximal CoP. In Phase 2 of LoS, the participants continued to maintain their online quiet standing postural control in maximal leaning position (Blanchet et al, 2014(Blanchet et al, , 2019Blanchet & Prince, 2023).…”

“…During the LP, the CoP slope was calculated as the CoP position at the end of LP-CoP position at the beginning of LP/time at the end of LP-time at the beginning of LP. During the Phases 1 and 2, we analyzed the mean CoP position, the maximum CoP excursion (difference between the mean CoP position during initial quiet standing and the maximum value reached), and COP max -COP mean (distance between the maximal CoP position and the mean sway CoP positions) in order to have additional information on the ability of individuals to maintain their CoP near the stability limits (the smaller the value, the better the postural performance; Blanchet et al, 2014Blanchet et al, , 2019Blanchet & Prince, 2023). In all phases, the mean of the root mean square and the mean of SD of sway velocity (SD) were used as variability of the postural oscillation indicators.…”