The effects of resistance training on postural control in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To evaluate the effects of resistance training on postural control in children and adolescents. Methods PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception to April 2026 for randomized controlled trials comparing resistance training with non-resistance control conditions. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses for dynamic balance examined training modality, intervention duration, population characteristics, and age. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Results Twelve trials involving 557 participants were included. Resistance training showed positive effects on static balance (SMD = 0.36, 95%CI[0.06,0.65], p < 0.05) and dynamic balance (SMD=0.56, 95%CI[0.23,0.89], p < 0.001) in children and adolescents. Subgroup analyses suggested that core and whole-body resistance training produced significant improvements in dynamic balance, whereas lower-limb resistance training did not reach statistical significance. Training modality may partly explain between-study heterogeneity. The GRADE assessment indicated that the certainty of evidence was very low for both static and dynamic balance. Conclusion Resistance training may improve static and dynamic balance performance in children and adolescents. These findings remain preliminary because of methodological limitations, heterogeneity, and very low certainty of evidence. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials using standardized intervention protocols and outcome measures are needed to confirm the optimal training characteristics for improving postural control. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261375407 , identifier CRD420261375407.