OBJECTIVES: To evaluate static balance and the influence of visual information among children and adolescents with Down Syndrome (DS) by means of computerized biophotogrammetry. METHODS: Eleven children and adolescents with DS took part in the study and 14 neurologically normal children and adolescents comprised the control group (both genders). During filming, the subjects remained in the orthostatic position with arms to the side of the body and feet parallel on a flat surface. Both groups were filmed in anterior view (frontal plane) and right lateral view (sagittal plane) with and without the eyes covered. While being filmed with eyes covered, the subjects wore fully blacked-out swimming goggles to eliminate all visual information. The instrument used was computerized biophotogrammetry, which served as an angular reference for verifying body sway in static stance. RESULTS:The subjects with DS swayed more (p<0.05) than the control group. When the visual information was eliminated, the anterior-posterior and lateral sway showed significant differences in the balance of the subjects with DS, compared with the subjects of the control group (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that children and adolescents with DS swayed more than the children in the control group with and without visual information and in both the anterior-posterior and lateral planes.
Down Syndrome; assessment; balance; photogrammetry
