Movement smoothness during dynamic postural control to a static target differs between autistic and neurotypical children.

Researchers studied how autistic and non-autistic children control their balance while moving sideways to reach targets. Using special cameras, they found autistic children had less smooth movements, moved their hips more, and took steps more often to maintain balance. These differences suggest autistic children use different strategies to stay balanced during movement tasks.

This study examined movement quality during dynamic balance tasks in 15 autistic children compared to 11 neurotypical peers using motion-capture technology in a virtual environment. Participants performed lateral movements to reach targets at different distances while researchers measured movement smoothness and strategies. Autistic children demonstrated significantly less smooth movements (higher jerk), greater pelvic motion range, and more frequent use of stepping strategies compared to neurotypical children. They also required longer times to complete tasks.

The stepping strategy likely reflects either proactive balance compensation or reactive recovery from balance loss, suggesting different motor control approaches in autism.

Findings suggest autistic children may benefit from interventions targeting movement smoothness and dynamic balance control. The use of stepping strategies indicates potential for training alternative balance approaches. Assessment of dynamic postural control may be valuable for identifying motor difficulties in autism.

Small sample size (15 autistic, 11 neurotypical children) limits generalizability. Single-session laboratory-based assessment may not reflect real-world performance. Study design unclear from abstract. No information about participant characteristics or potential confounding variables provided.

Autistic children and adults have known differences in motor performance, including postural instability and atypical gross motor control. Few studies have specifically tested dynamic postural control. This is the first study to quantify movement smoothness and its relationship to task performance during lateral dynamic postural control tasks in autism. We sought to test the hypothesis that autistic children would have less smooth movements to lateral static targets compared to neurotypical children, and that this difference would relate to specific movement strategies.

We used camera-based motion-capture to measure spatiotemporal characteristics of lateral movement of a marker placed on the C7 vertebrae, and of markers comprising trunk and pelvis segments during a dynamic postural movements to near and far targets administered in an immersive virtual environment. We tested a sample of 15 autistic children and 11 age-matched neurotypical children. We quantified movement smoothness using log dimensionless jerk. Autistic children exhibited more medial-lateral pelvic position range of motion compared to neurotypical children, and used a stepping strategy more often compared to neurotypical children.

Autistic children also had higher log dimensionless jerk than neurotypical children for motion of the C7 marker. All participants had higher log dimensionless jerk for far targets than for near targets. Autistic children had longer trial durations than neurotypical children, and younger children had longer trial durations than older children across diagnostic groups. The stepping strategy observed more often in the autistic group likely contributed to log dimensionless jerk and reduced movement smoothness.

This strategy is indicative of either an attempt to prevent an impending loss of balance, or an attempt to compensate for and recover from a loss of balance once it is detected.