10 Ways to Walk Across a Balance Beam

Want to challenge a child's balance?  Trying walking different ways across a beam.  If you don't have a balance beam, you can put a long strip of painter's tape on the floor or draw a line outdoors using sidewalk chalk.  Obviously, a child can walk forwards across a balance beam so here are 10 more ideas:

1.  Walk across the beam with hands over your head, out to the side or on your hips.

2.  Place small objects on the beam (ie beanbags) and the child has to step over the bean bags but stay on the beam.

3.  Walk sideways, high kicks or backwards across the beam.

4.   Walk on your tiptoes or heels across the beam.

5.  Walk across with hands and feet on the beam.

6.  Walk halfway across the beam, turn one full circle and continue across the beam.

7.  Walk across the beam balancing an object (ie bean bag or small book) on your head.

8.  Walk across the beam heel to toe.

9.  Walk across a beam to the beat of a metronome.

10.  Move like different animals across the beam.

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Title of Electronic Book: Cross the Beam Game

By: Your Therapy Source

Summary: Download of game that encourages balance skills and
visual perceptual skills.  Find out more at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/beam.html

Balance Skills and Obesity in Children

Appetite published research on whether balance skills and quality of life are influenced by childhood obesity.  Eighty seven children who were classified as Class 1 obese (BMI SDS 2.0-2.49) and Class 2 obese (BMI SDS > 2.5) were evaluated using the BOT-II to measure balance and the PedsQL to determine quality of life.  Statistical analysis indicated the following:

1.  the mean balance was 26.52 ± 5.2 out of a maximum of 37 on the BOT-II


2.  overall 71.26% of the children had impaired balance


3. C2 obese children (BMI > 2.5) had lower balance scores compared to C1 obese children


4. the mean quality of life score was 59.0% ± 19.8% (C1 60.7% ± 19.1; C2 57.44 ± 19.8)


5. the children with balance impairment had lower quality of life

The researchers concluded that balance was impaired in children who were obese and that those children had a lower quality of life. The researchers recommend conducting a physiotherapy assessment in children who are obese.

Reference: O’Malley, G. et al. Are balance and quality of life impaired in children who are obese? Appetite Volume 76, 1 May 2014, Pages 198

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Title of Electronic Book: Cross the Beam Game
By: Your Therapy Source

Summary: Download of game that encourages balance skills and visual perceptual skills.  Find out more at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/beam.html

Balance, Age and Autism Symptoms

The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published research on the influence of task difficulty and age on balance control in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  The researchers tested balance control during increasingly difficult balance conditions in children with ASD and typically developing peers.  The relationship between balance control and diagnostic/symptom severity for participants with ASD, including age, was also evaluated.

The results indicated the following:

1.  balance deficits in ASD were exacerbated by stance alterations, but were not related to symptom severity when age was considered.

The researchers concluded that there is impaired balance in ASD, especially in challenging conditions, but there was not a link between balance and symptom severity.

Reference:  Sarah A. Graham, Angela E. Abbott, Aarti Nair, Alan J. Lincoln, Ralph-Axel Müller, Daniel J. Goble. The Influence of Task Difficulty and Participant Age on Balance Control in ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.  November 2014. DOI
10.1007/s10803-014-2303-7

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Title of Electronic Book: Cross the Beam Game

By: Your Therapy Source

Summary: Download of game that encourages balance skills and visual perceptual skills.

Find out more at http://yourtherapysource.com/beam.html

Whole Body Vibration to Improve Balance/Strength and Down Syndrome

A randomized controlled study was published on 30 children with Down syndrome, where 15 children received physical therapy and 15 children received physical therapy and whole body vibration training. Both groups participated 3x/week for 6 months. The groups underwent stability testing and muscle strength testing before and after the 6 mos of the treatment program.

The results indicated the following:
1. Each group demonstrated significant improvements in stability indices and muscle strength after treatment.
2. significantly greater improvements were seen in the study group (whole body vibration) when compared with the control group.

The researchers concluded that "Whole-body vibration may be a useful intervention modality to improve balance and muscle strength in children with Down syndrome".

Reference:  Eid, Mohamed Ahmed.  Effect of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Standing Balance and Muscle Strength in Children with Down Syndrome.  American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation., Post Author Corrections: October 8, 2014.  Published Ahead-of-Print

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Postural Control in Very Preterm Children

Recent research assessed the postural control of 90 very preterm (VPT) children (<30 weeks gestation) and 36 full term children (>37 weeks gestation) at four years old. Using a Wii Balance Board, various tasks were assessed including static two-limbed standing with eyes open, eyes closed, eyes open on a foam mat, eyes closed on a foam mat, single leg standing on each limb and a cognitive dual task (involved showing the participants a series of pictures that appeared on screen at 2-second intervals). Functional performance was assessed during dynamic jumping and hopping tasks using the outcome measure of flight time, with shorter time indicating worse performance.

The results indicated the following: 1

1. VPT children had impaired static and dynamic balance, with increased postural sway under all conditions.

2. VPT children had reduced flight times compared with children born at term.

3. When adjustments were made for body weight the only group differences in postural control were in the cognitive dual task and flight times (jumping and left leg hopping).

The researchers concluded that: "VPT children demonstrated reduced postural control at 4 years of age compared with term-born children when presented with a cognitive dual task. They also performed worse during jumping and hopping tasks".

Reference: Lorefice, L. E., Galea, M. P., Clark, R. A., Doyle, L. W., Anderson, P. J. and Spittle, A. J. (2014), Postural control at 4 years in very preterm children compared with term-born peers. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.12550

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Need postural control activities?  Check out some yoga for kids videos and resources at http://yourtherapysource.com/yoga.html

Motivational Wall Art for OT/PT Room

Print this motivational wall art to hang up in the occupational or physical therapy room.  You can download it from Your Therapy Source at http://yourtherapysource.com/freebicyclequote

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Balance Skills and Girls with Visual Impairment

Pediatric Physical Therapy published research on functional balance abilities in girls with visual impairment.  The participants included 26 girls, 10-15 years old, with visual impairment who were assessed with the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and stabilography.  The following results were recorded:

• balance difficulties appeared in single-leg stance, tandem stance, and reaching forward
• PBS scores ranged from 47 to 56 
• PBS scores correlated with all but 2 sway parameters 

The researchers concluded that girls with visual impairment may have difficulties in upright stance when the size of the base of support is narrowed and when the center of gravity approaches the edge of the base of support.  Treatment interventions should focus on improving the balance of girls with visual impairment.  

Reference:   Żyłka, Justyna MS, PT; Lach, Urszula MS, PT; Rutkowska, Izabela PhD, PT. Functional Balance Assessment With Pediatric Balance Scale in Girls With Visual Impairment. Pediatric Physical Therapy: Winter 2013 - Volume 25 - Issue 4 - p 460-466 doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e31829ddbc8

Cross the Beam Game

Download of game that encourages balance skills and visual perceptual skills

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