Designing a step-up dynamic balance test for preschool children

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500680
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Physical education
• Research Institution: Fukui National College of Technology (2013-2014); Kanazawa College of Art (2012)
• Principal Investigator: AOKI Hiroki 福井工業高等専門学校, その他部局等, 講師 (90622564)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): DEMURA Shinichi 金沢大学, 人間科学系, 教授 (20155485) ; KASUGA Kosho 岐阜大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (30343726)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 男児 / 女児 / 動的平衡性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to design a step-up dynamic balance test for preschool children. Children (4 to 6-year-old boys and girls) walked to the end of a course and on a balance beam and under three conditions: no obstacle, low obstacle (5 cm high), and high obstacle (10 cm high). The obstacles were set at the midpoint of the course and balance beam. We clarified that the walking time for a course and on a balance beam with or without obstacles is more in four-year-old children than in five- and six-year-old children in boys and girls. The walking time for all conditions was independent of the sex of the children. An obstacle with a height of 10 cm affects walking in four-year-old children but not in children aged five years and above.
In addition, we designed reference values for evaluation tests for every age. The evaluation of the dynamic balance suggests that reference materials are developed along with age in children.

Free Research Field

発育発達