Force measurements of postural sway and rapid arm lift in seated children with and without MMC.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate the horizontal ground reaction forces of seated postural sway and rapid arm lift in children with and without myelomeningocele. BACKGROUND; It is unclear whether children with myelomeningocele have limited control of body posture entirely caused by the impairment in the legs or also by other dysfunction.


METHODS
11 children with myelomeningocele, 10-13 years, and 20 children without physical impairment were investigated. Data were collected by force plate measurements during quiet sitting and during rapid arm lift. The forces were expressed as the corresponding acceleration of the centre of mass. The amplitude and the frequency of the centre of mass acceleration quantified the sway. Movement time, onset and anteroposterior peak acceleration were analysed during arm lift.


RESULTS
The children with myelomeningocele had a low sway frequency under both conditions: eyes open and eyes closed. The movement time was longer for these children compared to the controls. The onset of initial anteroposterior centre of mass acceleration preceded the arm lift and was directed forward in both groups. The peak centre of mass acceleration was usually directed backward.


CONCLUSIONS
The control of postural sway was different in children with myelomeningocele compared to children without disabilities and this could not be explained by the cele level. The children with myelomeningocele had a slow motor performance of the seated sway and during arm lift.


CONCLUSIONS
Slow motor performance involves functional limitations in the individual child and is important for the therapy program.
Norrlin
Simone
S
Folke Bernadottehemmet, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Section of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital, Uppsala University, Bernadottestigen 4, SE-756 48 Uppsala, Sweden. simone.norrlin@ped.uas.lul.se
Karlsson
Annica
A
Ahlsten
Gunnar
G
Lanshammar
Håkan
H
Silander
Hans C
HC
Dahl
Margareta
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric