Decreased static and dynamic postural control in children with autism spectrum disorders

Fournier, Kimberly A.; Kimberg, Cara I.; Radonovich, Krestin J.; Tillman, Mark D.; Chow, John W.; Lewis, Mark H.; Bodfish, James W.; Hass, Chris J.

doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.02.007

« Previous Next »Gait & Posture
Volume 32, Issue 1 , Pages 6-9, May 2010

Decreased static and dynamic postural control in children with autism spectrum disorders

Kimberly A. Fournier
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, University of Texas-Pan American, TX, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 956 292 7341; fax: +1 956 381 3502.
Cara I. Kimberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, FL, USA
Krestin J. Radonovich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, FL, USA
Mark D. Tillman
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, FL, USA
John W. Chow
- Mississippi Methodist Rehabilitation Center, Jackson, MS, USA
Mark H. Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, FL, USA
James W. Bodfish
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Chris J. Hass
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, FL, USA

Received 8 June 2009; received in revised form 9 December 2009; accepted 8 February 2010. published online 20 April 2010.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate postural control in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during static and dynamic postural challenges. We evaluated postural sway during quiet stance and the center of pressure (COP) shift mechanism during gait initiation for 13 children with ASD and 12 age-matched typically developing (TD) children. Children with ASD produced 438% greater normalized mediolateral sway (p<0.05) and 104% greater normalized anteroposterior sway (p<0.05) than TD children. Consequently, normalized sway area was also significantly greater (p<0.05) in the group with ASD. Similarly, the maximum separation between the COP and center of mass (COM) during quiet stance was 100% greater in the anteroposterior direction (p<0.05) and 146% greater in the resultant direction (p<0.05) for children with ASD. No significant difference was observed in the mediolateral direction, in spite of the 123% greater separation detected in children with ASD. During gait initiation, no group differences were detected in the posterior COP shift mechanism, suggesting the mechanism for generating forward momentum is intact. However, significantly smaller lateral COP shifts (p<0.05) were observed in children with ASD, suggesting instability or an alternative strategy for generating momentum in the mediolateral direction. These results help to clarify some discrepancies in the literature, suggesting an impaired or immature control of posture, even under the most basic conditions when no afferent or sensory information have been removed or modified. Additionally, these findings provide new insight into dynamic balance in children with ASD.