Sex differences in postural control maturation during childhood andadolescence: a cross-sectional study in children between 4 and 17 years old

Purpose: the aim of this study was to determine the differences between the sexes in the development of postural control during childhood and adolescence. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-nine children were involved in a 30-s trial with eyes open and a 30-s trial with eyes closed. Using a Wii Balance Board, the mean velocity and median frequency in antero-posterior and medio-lateral directions were calculated, as well as the 95% confidence interval ellipse area. Results: The results showed that the youngest boys (4-5 years old) had a greater ellipse area than girls of the same age, while the girls in this age group showed a greater ellipse area ratio, although these differences disappeared until 12-13 years old. At this age, the boys showed greater mean velocity in antero-posterior direction both with eyes open and closed, as well as a greater ellipse area and mean velocity in the medio-lateral direction with eyes open. At 16-17 years old, the boys had lower mean velocity in the medio-lateral direction both with eyes open and eyes closed. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results indicate certain differences in the postural control maturation of girls and boys during childhood and adolescence.Objetivo: el objetivo de este estudio fue determinar las diferencias entre sexos en el desarrollo del control postural durante la infancia y la adolescencia. Material y métodos: Trescientos ochenta y nueve niños participaron en un ensayo de 30s con los ojos abiertos y otro de 30s con los ojos cerrados. Utilizando una Wii Balance Board, se calculó la velocidad media y la frecuencia media en las direcciones anteroposterior y medio-lateral, así como el área de la elipse del intervalo de confianza del 95%. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron que los niños más pequeños (4-5 años) tenían un área de elipse mayor que las niñas de la misma edad, mientras que las niñas de este grupo de edad mostraban una mayor relación de área de elipse, aunque estas diferencias desaparecieron hasta los 12-13 años. A esta edad, los chicos mostraron una mayor velocidad media en dirección anteroposterior tanto con los ojos abiertos como cerrados, así como una mayor área de la elipse y velocidad media en dirección medio-lateral con los ojos abiertos. A los 16-17 años, los chicos presentaban una menor velocidad media en la dirección medio-lateral tanto con los ojos abiertos como cerrados. Conclusiones: los resultados indican ciertas diferencias en la maduración del control postural de chicas y chicos durante la infancia y la adolescencia

Canadian Agility Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) in a Spanish Context: Evidences of Reliability and Validity

The Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) is a circuit-based measure of motor competence. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of CAMSA in Spanish children. A sample of 749 children participated voluntarily. Acceptable-to-good internal consistency (α =.54 and G-coefficient =.88) and moderate-to-excellent inter- (ICC:.83 to 1.00), intra-rater (ICC:.99 to 1.00) and test–retest reliability (ICC:.70 to.83) was found in convenience subsamples (n = 84 observers’ reliability; n = 69 test-retest). Concurrent validity was moderate (CAMSA score with Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder: r =.45; n = 90). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-factor model (CFI =.95; RMSEA =.02; SRMR =.02). Boys had higher scores than girls and older-children had higher scores than younger-children. The CAMSA can be used as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing motor competence in Spanish children

Effects on intermittent postural control in people with Parkinson's due to a dual task

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of performing a dual task on the sway density plot parameters in Parkinson's disease and control subjects.& nbsp;Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to establish differences in the mean peak, mean time, and mean distance between a group with Parkinson's disease and a control group without Parkinson's disease. The subjects performed, in a unique measurement session, two trials under three different randomized conditions: i. eyes open, ii. eyes closed, and iii. Eyes open with foam base. One trial was performed as a single task (i.e., the subjects completed one of the balance test), while the other trial was performed as a dual task (i.e., the subjects performed a cognitive task at the same time that they maintained the static balance).& nbsp;Results: There was a group x dual task x condition effect in mean peak (F-1.5,F- 51.1 = 5.21; p = 0.015; eta(2)(p) = 0.13) and mean time (F-1.4,F- 47.3 = 4.43; p = 0.03; eta(2)(p)& nbsp;= 0.11) variables. According dual-task cost analysis, there was a main effect of the condition (F-6,F-134 = 2.44; p = 0.05; eta(2)(p) = 0.34) on MD (F-2,F-68 = 6.90; p < 0.01; eta 2p = 0.17).& nbsp;Conclusions: This result indicates differences in the dual task interference in the postural control mechanisms between the Parkinson's disease population and healthy pairs. For easy dual tasks, the Parkinson subjects used anticipatory control responses for longer periods of time, and for more difficult tasks, their control strategy did not change regarding single balance task

Diversity awareness in university students from Physical Education with the proposal of good practice "More than able"

The present study describes and analyzes the assessment of university students with regard to the “More than able” proposal. This is a diversity awareness proposal from the area of Physical Education, and specifically, through tasks related to fundamental motor skills. The aim of this work was to design, apply, and evaluate a good practice offering a proposal for raising students’ awareness based on the use of comic characters such as superheroes and superheroines. In order to assess the degree of satisfaction of the proposal, a questionnaire of good practices and an open question in relation to the experience were used. The results showed that the practice was valued as useful, innovative, sustainable, and transferable to their future teaching experience, as well as a satisfactory experience for students. Therefore, the teaching staff of this or other Schools that train future teachers, as well as currently employed teachers, must be aware of these types of proposals and carry them out in the formal training of future teachers to bring the current school closer to an inclusive approach.El presente estudio describe y analiza la valoración del alumnado universitario ante la propuesta “More than able”. Esta es una propuesta de buenas prácticas sobre la sensibilización hacia la diversidad funcional desde el área de Educación Física, y específicamente, mediante tareas relacionadas con las habilidades motrices básicas. El objetivo de este trabajo fue diseñar, aplicar y valorar una buena práctica que ofrezca una propuesta de sensibilización al alumnado basada en el uso de personajes de cómics como son los superhéroes y las superheroínas. Para valorar el grado de satisfacción de la propuesta, se empleó el cuestionario sobre la experiencia de buenas prácticas y el análisis de contenido sobre una pregunta abierta en relación a la experiencia. Los resultados mostraron que la práctica fue valorada como útil, innovadora, sostenible y transferible a su futura experiencia docente, así como una experiencia satisfactoria para el alumnado. Por tanto, el profesorado de las facultades de Magisterio o de otras que preparen a los/as futuros/as docentes, así como ellos mismos, deben ser conocedores de este tipo de propuestas y llevarlas a cabo en la formación reglada de los/as futuros/as egresados/as para acercar la escuela actual a una escuela inclusiva

Sensory Reweighting During Bipedal Quiet Standing in Adolescents

A cross-sectional, prospective, between-subjects design was used in this study to establish the differences in sensory reweighting of postural control among different ages during adolescence. A total of 153 adolescents (five age groups; 13-17 years old) performed bipedal standing in three sensory conditions (i.e., with visual restriction, vestibular disturbance, and proprioceptive disturbance). Center of pressure displacement signals were measured in mediolateral and anteroposterior directions to characterize reweighting in the sensory system in static postural control when sensory information is disturbed or restricted during adolescent growth. The results indicate a development of postural control, showing large differences between subjects of 13-14 years old and older adolescents. A critical change was found in sensory reweighting during bipedal stance with disturbance of proprioceptive information at 15 years old. Adolescents of 13-14 years old showed less postural control and performance than older adolescents during the disturbance of proprioceptive information. Moreover, the results demonstrated that the visual system achieves its development around 15-16 years old. In conclusion, this research suggests that a difference of sensory reweighting under this type of sensorial condition and sensory reweight systems would seem to achieve stabilization at the age of 15

Increased cortisol levels caused by acute resistance physical exercise impair memory and learning ability

Acute physical exercise works as an activator of the responses of the human organism to stress. This is based on the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, affecting physical, physiological and psychological levels. This study aimed to analyse the effects of a single bout of high-intensity resistance exercise on cognitive-behavioural responses: visuo-spatial path learning and memory, as well as physiological responses (salivary cortisol levels). Nineteen healthy male militarytrained powerlifting subjects were tested in a within-subject design on two experimental days with an interval of 48 h. The stress and cognitive variables were measured by cortisol levels and Ruff-Light trail-learning test (RULIT) test scores, respectively. The results showed the immediate influence of acute exercise on cortisol, with significantly higher cortisol levels found in subjects after completion of the acute resistance exercise. In addition, this study found a significant deterioration of memory and learning ability after a dose of intense resistance exercise. In conclusion, the study highlights the relative effects of resistance exercise on cortisol and cognitive performance depending on the intensity and type of the exercise, the moment of measurement and the cerebral areas implicated

New methodological approach in accelerometer validation to estimate Physical Activity of adults in daily activities

Currently the accelerometer is the most practical and reliable tool for quantifying physical activity.The problem is that the estimation models obtained so far have not taken into account the inclusion of the transition minutes between the activities, the gap between the accelerations and the METs, and the variables of the time domain, the frequency domain and the temporal structure of the signal. The objective of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to test these factors for obtaining an estimation model. To this end, 30 subjects with 55,5 (9,42) years, 73,03 (11,84) kg and 1,70 (0,08) m were recruited. These performed a series of daily activities equipped with an Actigraph GT3X accelerometer and a gas analyser. By analysing these factors, a more reliable multiple linear model than the linear models previously obtained for the Actigraph GT3X accelerometer was obtained. These results showed the need to include the minutes of transition between activities and the variables of temporal domain, frequency domain and those that inform the temporal structure of the signal, in the multiple linear models. Instead, the mismatch between accelerations and METs decreased the accuracy of the models.Actualmente el acelerómetro es la herramienta más práctica y fiable para cuantificar la actividad física. El problema es que los modelos de estimación obtenidos hasta el momento no han tenido en cuenta la inclusión de los minutos de transición entre actividades, el desfase entre las aceleraciones y METs, y las variables del dominio temporal, frecuencial y de la estructura temporal de la señal. El objetivo de este estudio descriptivo transversal fue comprobar estos factores para la obtención de un modelo de estimación. Para ello, se reclutaron 30 sujetos con 55,5 (9,42) años, 73,03 (11,84) kg y 1,70 (0,08) m. Estos realizaron una serie actividades cuotidianas equipados con un acelerómetro Actigraph GT3X y un analizador de gases. Mediante el análisis de estos factores se obtuvo un modelo lineal múltiple más fiable que los modelos lineales obtenidos previamente para el acelerómetro Actigraph GT3X. Estos resultados mostraron la necesidad de incluir en los modelos lineales múltiples los minutos de transición entre actividades y las variables temporales, frecuenciales y aquellas que informan sobre la estructura temporal de la señal. En cambio, el desfase entre las aceleraciones y los METs disminuyó la exactitud de los modelos