title: Development of low postural tone compensatory patterns in children - theoretical basis.
abstract: Neurological literature indicates the existence of children with low postural tone without association with central nervous system damage. This fact induces to think about mechanisms, which allow these children to maintain upright posture. There is a suspicion that compensatory mechanism included in this process, enables to achieve upright posture, but at expense of body posture quality. Observations of children's developmental stages caused determination of some postural tone area, which comprise both children with normotonia and with low postural tone without characteristics of central nervous system (CNS) damage. Set of specific qualities allows determination of two types of low postural tone: spastoidal and atetoidal type. Spastoidal type is characterized by deep trunk muscles (local) low postural tone compensated by excessive tension of superficial muscles (global). Atetoidal type includes children with low postural tone in both deep and superficial muscles. At inefficient active subsystem, verticalization proceeds at excessive use of passive subsystem qualities, that is meniscus, ligament, bone shape, and muscles passive features. From neurodevelopmental point of view compensatory mechanisms can be used in children with low postural tone in order to achieve upright posture, but at expense of body posture quality.
authors.affiliation: Katedra Kinezyterapii i Metod Specjalnych Fizjoterapii, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego, ul. Mikołowska 72b, 40-065 Katowice, tel. 603-112-533, e-mail: aniagogola@op.pl.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gogola
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saulicz
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuszewski
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matyja
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Myśliwiec
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*