Static Postural Stability
Individuals with DCD may exhibit symptom impairments such as deficits in postural control, sensorimotor coordination and motor learning (Biotteau et al., 2019). Most notably, DCD children are seen to have problems with postural control, including hypotonia or hypertonia, immature distal control, as well as poor static and dynamic balance (Biotteau et al., 2019). Balance is referred to as the ability to maintain a weight bearing posture, or to move through a sequence of postures without falling (Tsai et al., 2008). More precisely, the development of static balance is a basic characteristic of normal motor development that is involved in many activities of daily living (Geuze., 2003). Static balance is defined as the ability to maintain an upright posture and to keep the centre of gravity within the limits of support (Geuze, 2003). Children without static balance lack the stabilizing framework necessary to develop normal functional activities (Tsai et al., 2008).
In normal development, clear improvements in static balance are seen between the ages of 2 to 14 (Geuze., 2003). DCD children however are clearly behind in normal development, leading to increased postural sway (Wann et al., 1998). Typically developing (TD) children show improvements in the level of muscle activation efficacy and response to external mechanical perturbations (Geuze, 2003). Altered postural muscle activity can contribute to the poor proximal stability in DCD children (Johnston et al., 2002).
