Age and gymnastic experience effects on sensory reweighting processes during quiet stand

Abstract

Background: The relative contribution of sensory inputs to control balance while standing is dynamically adjusted. These sensory reweighting processes could be impacted by age and sport expertise capabilities, especially when the sport emphasizes equilibrium like artistic gymnastics.

Research question: The aim of this study was to explore the sensory reweighting processes to adjust standing posture in children and adults with different gymnastic expertise (gymnasts, G, and non-gymnast, NG).

Methods: All participants were asked to stand quietly on a force plate in two visual conditions (eyes open, EO, and eyes closed, EC). Within a trial, proprioception was altered with two vibrators strapped at the Achilles tendon level. The center of pressure (COP) displacements in the anterior-posterior and medio-lateral directions were calculated and normalized by the base of support. The effect of vibration application was characterized by the COP speed, maximal posterior displacement and the time when it occurred. The effect of vibration removal was depicted by the time between the motor switched off and the achievement of balance values similar to baseline and the COP speed and movement units performed during this time.

Results: G children presented shorter posterior displacement during vibrations, needed less time to recover initial balance, and produced less movements units than NG children. In general, adults and EO showed better reweighting responses than children and EC, respectively.

Significance: These results suggest that age could have a positive effect on reweighting processes and that gymnastic experience may benefit the development of proprioceptive reweighting processes in children but not in adults.

Keywords: Achilles tendon vibration; Balance; Children; Multisensory integration; Proprioception.