Postural stability in school-age children with mild bronchial asthma disease (a pilot study)

J Asthma. 2016;53(1):11-4. doi: 10.3109/02770903.2015.1038391. Epub 2015 Aug 18.

Abstract

Objective: This study assessed the postural stability in children with asthma using balance tests under conditions of a comfortable foot placement and with a foot placement provoking instability.

Methods: A group of 10 school children from 8 to 10 years old with mild intermittent asthma and 10 healthy children of the same age range performed four balance tests in a randomized order: preferred stance, adjusted stance, and tandem stance each under both conditions of eyes opened (EO) and eyes closed (EC), as well as a one-legged stance with eyes-opened conditions. To determine postural stability, the center of pressure (CoP) movement was recorded. Basic stabilographic parameters were calculated: CoP velocity in the anterior-posterior direction, CoP velocity in the medial-lateral direction, and the total CoP velocity.

Results: Statistically significant differences between the groups were found only for the one-legged stance. Significantly greater anterior-posterior CoP velocity (p = 0.05) and total CoP velocity (p = 0.03) were found in children with asthma when standing on the preferred foot. A significantly greater medial-lateral velocity (p = 0.02) was also found in the non-preferred foot of children with asthma.

Conclusions: We can conclude that standing on one leg might be an appropriate test with which to identify balance differences between young children with mild intermittent asthma and healthy children.

Keywords: Balance tests; center of pressure velocity; postural balance; stable phase of asthma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Asthma / diagnosis*
  • Asthma / physiopathology
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pilot Projects
  • Postural Balance*
  • Posture / physiology
  • Respiratory Function Tests