Sex-linked differences in equilibrium reactions among adolescents performing complex sensorimotor tasks.
Equilibrium reactions were compared between male and female adolescents (prepuberal and puberal), classified into two groups: those who had previously learned complex motor tasks (dance or acrobatics) and those with no particular training. Subjects stood (eyes open or eyes closed) on a free seesaw platform, the displacements of which were calculated from accelerometer measures. They were instructed to maintain a vertical position with their frontal plane either parallel (to measure antero-posterior oscillations) or perpendicular to the axis of the platform (to measure lateral oscillations). Girls had a better stability than boys as shown by the smaller displacement of their center of gravity. Untrained subjects, irrespective of sex, were the least stable. Subjects trained in acrobatics were more stable than dancers. Differences related to sex can be attenuated by physical training involving equilibrium exercises which suggests that moderate sustained training could reduce the incidence of falls in aged persons and in professionally exposed workers.
Golomer
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E
Laboratoire de Physiologie du Travail et du Sport, Université Paris VI, Faculté de Médecine Pitié Salpétrière, France.
Dupui
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P
Monod
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003615:Dancing; D005260:Female; D006173:Gymnastics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics