title: Kung-fu versus swimming training and the effects on balance abilities in young adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose is to investigate the static balance control of young adolescents practicing kung-fu and swimming in order to find out which of these physical activities is the most effective in developing specific balance abilities in young adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University laboratory research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of 11-13-year-old boys (12 practicing Kung-Fu, 12 practicing swimming and 12 controls).
  
  
  METHODS
  Center of pressure (CoP) excursions were registered in upright bipedal and unipedal stances on a stabilometric force platform in eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kung-fu practitioners control their balance (P < .05) better than controls and swimmers in the unipedal posture when visual inputs are available. Kung-fu training improved (P < .05) the bipedal balance control in the EO condition. However, swimming training developed (P < .05) bipedal balance control in both EO and EC conditions. The swimmers showed a lower reliance on vision (P < .05) compared to kung-fu practitioners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both of these physical activities could be recommended for young adolescents as recreational or rehabilitation programs as they develop specific balance abilities that could be important for improving and maintaining optimal health.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit: Education, Motricity, Sports and Health, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Sfax, Sfax University, Tunisia; Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Tunisia. Electronic address: baccoucherim@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Rym
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baccouch
authors.affiliation: Research Unit: Education, Motricity, Sports and Health, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Sfax, Sfax University, Tunisia. Electronic address: haithem.rebai@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Haithem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rebai
authors.affiliation: Research Unit: Education, Motricity, Sports and Health, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Sfax, Sfax University, Tunisia. Electronic address: sonia.sahli@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Balance control; Kung-fu; Swimming; Young adolescents