Non-Linearity in Development of Dynamic Balance Repertoire in Middle Childhood

The current understanding of balance development in middle childhood is predominantly from static postural tasks, in which a typical finding is a linear pattern. A paucity of studies, however, have examined the development of dynamic balance. Thus, we investigated how 354 girls and boys aged 7-10-years-old crossed a river on a wide or narrow plank in virtual reality, while their movement strategies were measured. Sex, height and perceived motor competence were examined as covariates. The results indicated that age did not appear as a significant independent variable for any measures, and that significant differences emerged between boys and girls. These findings suggest that dynamic balance can have a non-linear development in middle childhood, with boys and girls utilizing different task-specific strategies.