Impaired Postural Stability as a Complication of Childhood Obesity

Objective: Th e paper aims to compare postural stability between two groups of research subjects: obese children and athletes. Methods: Both these groups were examined for postural control with two tests – Limits of Stability (LOS) and the Sensory Organization Test (SOT). Based on the test results, diff erences between the groups were compared and statistically evaluated. Results: Th e paper demonstrated a signifi cant impact that obesity has on the postural stability of an individual. Statistically signifi cant diff erences were found in both the reaction time (RT) and the maximum excursion in the LOS test and in the selection of motion strategies aimed at maintaining postural stability in the SOT test. Conclusions: In physiotherapy of children with obesity, physical activities need to focus on improving the overall posture and postural stability, for instance through functional training.