Course:KIN355/2020 Projects/Use of Stable Position
Defining the Concept and Its Importance
A stable position is a position in which someone can hold or perform movements while resisting gravity or other oncoming forces. Maintaining a stable position involves bracing relevant musculature in order to distribute any oncoming forces adequately throughout the body. This can be done by activating the core, bracing of torso and legs, and bending the hips, knees, and ankles. In this position, the torque generated within the body will receive and absorb the energy and “[prevent] injury, enhance performance” (Behm et al., 2010, para. 3) and prevent too much stress on a single body part. Absorption of force is extremely important as many athletic and daily life movements require force absorption for reuse or dispersion, as well as for the prevention of injury.
Stable positions can look different in various sports, skills, ages, and environments. Jumping and landing, catching, balancing, and stopping all require the use of stability in order to absorb the external and gravitational forces that act upon the individual. Although the type can look different, stable positions have many commonalities that are required in order to safely and effectively distribute forces. A sufficient stable position requires a wide and sturdy base of support, weight emphasized on the opposite side of the oncoming force, and a low centre of gravity.
Stable positions are very important in injury prevention, force reproduction, initiation of complex locomotor movements, and movement efficiency (Behm et al., 2010 & Adolph et al., 2007). Core strength and postural control directly influence the ability to form and hold a stable position and therefore could act as rate limiters for stable positioning.
During childhood, stable positioning is a prerequisite for the initiation of most other complex movements such as crawling, walking, running, and jumping (Surkar et al., 2015, para. 1). Without a stable base, adequate core strength, and postural control those movements would be inefficient and unsafe. For children, “stable postural base opens up new possibilities for acquiring knowledge and acting on the world” (Adolph et al., 2007, para. 11). Once a child is able to sit up in a stable position they will soon learn to reach, look around to familiar faces, explore their visual field, and explore their toys and surroundings. Since postural control, core strength, and stability are three of the main factors that influence the onset of other more complicated behaviours (Behm et al., 2010), it is extremely important for children’s motor development to include practice and encouragement for those behaviours. For example, the motor development stage of sitting (which requires postural control, stability, and core strength) is a crucial in the development of other domains as well (socio-emotional, and cognitive) (Surkar et al., 2015, para. 3). When considering how physical development and cognitive development are related, studies show that “as sitting postural control [advances] from supported sitting to independent sitting, sustained attention on objects during exploratory play increased linearly” (Surkar et al., 2015, para. 22). This finding supports the cruciality of stable positioning in the whole development of the child. It is of upmost importance for grassroots level child education to support the stable position skills of children as their physical development, as well as other domain development, rely on this ability.
Role in Childhood Development and Contemporary Considerations
In childhood motor development, the ability to control posture, maintain stability, activate the core, and resist gravitational forces are paramount in the execution of other higher complexity movements. Stable positions can look drastically different in various environments, but during child development, a few of the stable positions include, lifting and holding up the head, unassisted sitting, crawling, and unassisted standing (Adolph et al., 2007). Stable positions are crucial in development; for example, when a child masters the ability to sit up unassisted, they are then able to work on skills such as reaching, grabbing, rocking, rolling over, and other important motor development skills. Ultimately, stable positions are the balancing point where other skills and developmental milestones blossom from. It is very important for children to learn how to physically support themselves, and act against forces that act upon them. This process relies heavily on muscular strength, coordination, cognitive control, and postural control. Stable positions are paramount in force absorption, and although children don’t have many external forces that act upon them, the force of their own body weight is enough to challenge them.
It is important for grassroots childhood educators to be aware of some of the issues that may affect normal physical development of children. For motor development, there are intricate systems that work together to produce movement abilities, and therefore can be affected by many different factors. For the acquisition of stable positions in force absorption, educators must be aware of the side effects of certain conditions that may affect normal physical capabilities of children and may produce motor delays. Such conditions that may cause and act as rate limiters within the system include cerebral palsy, autism, and pre-mature birth.
Cerebral palsy effects movement abilities and consists of “posture and motor development disorders caused by brain insult during the fetal and infant periods” (Lew et al., 2015 para. 1). This condition drastically effects the individual’s ability to move, and has other side effects such as “seizures, cognitive impairment, and perceptual disorders” that are known to “add functional deficit in daily lives” (Lew et al., 2015, para. 1). Moreover, this condition materializes in early childhood and can severely affect the motor development of children. It is extremely important for grassroots educators to be aware of children who have cerebral palsy, and how their development will differ. Associated conditions such as “pain, intellectual disability, inability to walk, epilepsy, inability to talk, and behavioural disorders” (Lauruschkus et al., 2014, para. 2) will drastically affect their stability, strength, and posture which are fundamental prerequisites for the achievement of stable positions. Grassroots educators must themselves be educated in special conditions in order to help teach and nurture children of all abilities.
Autism is another condition that can influence motor development trajectories. Autism has associated symptoms such as “dyspraxia, challenges with postural stability, impaired motor anticipation, and weak grip strength” (Travers et al., 2016). Although autism isn’t directly comprised of physical impairments, these symptoms will affect motor development if present during windows of developmental opportunity. If grassroots educators work with a child who has autism, they should be educated on how their development may have differed and be able to identify developmental irregularities that may have been caused by this condition. The ability to use stable positions relies heavily on coordination of muscle groups, stability of the core muscles, and anticipation of oncoming forces, all of which would be challenged with autism.
Another condition that can have lasting effects on motor development is pre-mature birth. When born premature, the baby may be affected by complications such as low birth weight, respiratory difficulties, infection, and congenital malformations (Furdon, 2017, para. 1) which can all hinder the sequence of normal motor development. These babies may suffer from “motor delay and/or cerebral palsy, lower IQs, behavior problems, and respiratory illness, especially asthma” (McCormick et al., 2011, para. 1). Prematurity is unique and each infant’s experience may differ, but there are physical complications that can prevent normal development.
Childhood educators must take into consideration each child’s unique challenges and circumstances. It is of upmost importance that educators are able to identify symptoms of a condition or disease that a child might have and be able to compare that with normal developmental processes. In regard to maintaining stable positioning, there are many factors that play into this ability; such as, coordination of muscle groups, bracing the core, joint mobility, focussed attention, and anticipation. Unique conditions often result in impairments in both the motor and cognitive domain, so grassroots educators must be aware of any conditions children may have, and what the developmental sequence would be for those children specifically.
Practical Applications
Activity 1: Hopscotch
Purpose statement: Hopscotch is one of the best ways to help children develop their coordination and balance skills, which can help to improve overall stability. Hopscotch requires children to hold and perform movements such as hopping on one foot and bending over to pick up a bean bag on one foot while resisting gravity. Ultimately, this helps children practice movements that improve stability by requiring them to activate their core muscles, brace their legs, and bend at the ankles, knees, and hips on one foot. Therefore, the practice of these movements during hopscotch are beneficial to improving stable positioning in children, while also making this practice enjoyable for them.
Target age: Since stable positioning is a prerequisite for the initiation of other complex movements (Surkar et al., 2015, para. 1), it is important to engage in activities such as hopscotch at an early age to improve stability, core strength, and postural control that allow children to achieve success early on in life in more challenging behaviours that require stable positioning. Furthermore, according to Bredin (2017), a motor milestone achieved by 24-48 months in children is walking up and down the stairs, therefore, after 48 months, a child who can independently walk up and down the stairs should be able to participate in hopscotch. Thus, a target age for this game that would help children improve their stability early on by challenging them but not too much to the point where they can not execute the required movements would be anywhere from 48 months onwards. Furthermore, after 10 years of age, this game would most likely no longer be challenging for a child, rather, it would just provide fun and exercise pertinent to maintaining stability skills already previously learned.
Environmental space and equipment needed: Hopscotch is best played in environments that are spacious and safe. A great place for hopscotch would be a gym that has a flat surface free from dangerous elements or a cemented area that is free from moving cars. The only equipment required for hopscotch is chalk or tape and bean bags. To setup hopscotch, draw out 10 squares numbered from 1-10 with either tape or chalk depending on the surface you are working with and make sure that every other row of numbers has two numbered squares beside each other instead of just drawing out a line of 10 squares in a row.
Instructions: There is no limit to the number of players that can play this game and the rules are simple. The first player begins their turn by throwing their bean bag into the first square numbered 1 and they continue their turn by jumping over the square they threw their bean bag in, in this case, that is the first square and jumping into each square following that one until they reach the tenth square. When a child jumps into a square that is not accompanied by one beside it they must jump in it with one foot only, however, if there are two squares beside each other they must jump into both squares with one foot in each. Once the child reaches the tenth square they turn around and head back to the square with the bean bag in it making sure not to step inside that square, but only bend down to pick up the bean bag from that square and then jump over it to reach the end. While bending over to pick up a bean bag the child can not touch the ground with their hands for support or drop their other foot to the ground for balance, if they do, they lose that turn and it is the next players turn. Each round, the child must throw their bean bag into each square until they have successfully thrown their bean bag into all 10 squares, therefore, if done successfully the child should complete the course in 10 rounds. However, if a child throws the bean bag towards a square but misses they lose that turn and it is the next player's turn. Furthermore, if a child throws their bean bag into the fourth square on their fourth turn, for example, it is important to remember while jumping through the squares that the child must leap over that square or beside it depending on if there is a square next to it, and if they happen to lose their balance and step inside the square with their bean bag in it they lose that turn and it is the next players turn. The first player to complete the hopscotch course all 10 times is the winner.
Modifications: To counteract rate limiters such as cerebral palsy, autism, and prematurity, which can lead to physical deficits that affect a child’s ability to perform stability-enhancing games such as hopscotch, modifications to the game can be applied to make it less challenging. One modification that can be applied to this game to make it less challenging for children with physical impairments, who may struggle with their balance, is to allow them the opportunity to jump in each square with both their feet planted on the ground instead of just one. While this modification removes the challenges of having to achieve stability on one leg, it still lends these children the opportunity to practice stable positioning because jumping and landing in a square without falling require bracing and bending of the legs to distribute oncoming forces throughout the body. Furthermore, another modification that can be applied to this game to make it less challenging for children with physical deficits that struggle with coordination, is to set up the game in a straight line of eight squares instead of ten. This not only shortens the length of the course making it less physically demanding but it also takes away the challenge of having to coordinate jumping from one square with only one foot to two squares with one foot in each since it is just a straight line of squares. However, this modification still allows for the practice of stable positioning for children with physical impairments because they are still required to jump to each square in the hopscotch grid without falling, even if it is with both feet.
Activity 2: Museum keeper
Purpose statement: Museum keeper is a great game to help children develop stable positioning early on in their childhood since it is an easy game to understand and execute. Museum keeper requires children to run at a fast pace and come to a complete stop and freeze like a statue before getting caught by the museum keeper. The practice of these movements requires the activation of core muscles and a widened stance to keep the children upright while coming to a quick stop. Furthermore, coming to a complete stop in the middle of a fast-paced run requires the use of stability to absorb the external forces that act upon the child. Therefore, participating in the game museum keeper is beneficial to improving a child's stability by helping them improve core strength and balance, while also making it enjoyable for them.
Target age: Since stability skills influence the onset of other complicated behaviours (Behm et al., 2010), it is important to engage in games at an early age that target the improvement of stability, core strength, and postural control. Thus, allowing children to accomplish more challenging behaviours that require established stability skills at an early age. Furthermore, according to Bredin (2017), a motor milestone achieved by 14-18 months is being able to walk backwards, therefore, after around 18 months children who can independently walk backwards should be able to participate in a game like museum keeper that requires a child to know how to run and come to a quick stop. Thus, a target age for the game museum keeper would range anywhere from 18 months onwards. However, after 7 years of age, this game would likely not be a challenge for a child of this age, instead, it would provide enjoyable exercise pertinent to maintaining their stability skills rather than improving them any further.
Environmental space and equipment needed: Museum keeper can be played in an indoor setting such as a gym or even an outdoor setting such as a large grass field, as long as the setting is spacious, clear of obstacles, and has clear boundaries it will suffice. The only equipment needed for this game is cones. To set up museum keeper, create a large square for children to go to if they get caught by the museum keeper which will represent the jail at one end of the gym or field, a small square where the museum keeper will stand at the opposite end of the gym or field, and a line of cones in front of the square where the museum keeper will stand to represent the museum's treasure that the keeper is guarding. In an outdoor setting such as a large grass field, it would be beneficial to place cones along the perimeter of the field to indicate clear boundaries so the children remain on the field at all times.
Instructions: The children will start at the opposite end of the gym or field from the museum keeper. The goal of the game is for the children to sneak up on the museum keeper when he or she is not looking in order to steal the museum's treasure and bring it back to their end of the gym or field without getting caught all within two minutes. The only time the children can sneak up on the museum keeper is when he or she is not looking and when the museum keeper turns around the children must freeze like a statue. However, if they fail to freeze like a statue in time and get caught by the museum keeper they must go back to the jail at the other end of the gym or field where they started. The only way children can be freed from jail is if another child runs over and gives them a high-five to free them. The aim of the game is for the children to work as a team to collect all of the museum's treasure and bring it back to their side of the gym or field before the time is up. Since the children only have two minutes to complete this task, for them to accomplish this task successfully, they must run quickly while the museum keeper is not looking to collect all the treasure in time, making the task of coming to a complete stop and freezing like a statue when the keeper turns around that much more difficult.
Modifications: For children who suffer from physical impairments that affect their stability, balance, and coordination, caused by disorders such as cerebral palsy, they can have modifications applied to this game to make it less physically challenging for them. For example, increasing the time limit for this game so children with physical deficits are not required to run at a fast pace and then come to a complete stop each time the museum keeper turns around, significantly reduces the challenge of having to absorb the increased external forces acted upon them while trying to stabilize themselves following a fast-paced run. This modification will prove to be less physically demanding for children with physical impairments, however, it will still provide them with the opportunity to practice suddenly stopping and stabilizing themselves even if it just from a walking position, thus, helping them to improve their ability to achieve successful stable positioning. Furthermore, older children with no physical impairments who find this game easy can be required to perform a balancing activity in jail before they can be freed as a modification. For example, whenever a child is sent to jail after being caught by the museum keeper they must balance on one leg with both their hands above their heads for a total of 10 seconds in jail before they can be freed. Only after they have completed this activity can they leave the jail. This modified activity not only makes this game more physically challenging but it provides further opportunities for children to practice their balancing skills by requiring them to actively engage their core and leg muscles in order to stay in a stable position on one leg for a total of 10 seconds. Therefore, by increasing the difficulty of this game children in older age groups can continue to use this game to improve their stability and balancing skills, since it still provides them with enough of a challenge to promote active learning.
Summary
A stable position is a position in which someone can hold or perform movements while resisting gravity or other oncoming forces. In childhood motor development, the ability to control posture, maintain stability, activate the core, and resist gravitational forces are paramount in the execution of other higher complexity movements. Stable positions are crucial to a child’s development; for example, when a child is able to sit unassisted, they are able to work on skills such as reaching and grabbing. Hopscotch and Museum Keeper are two activities children can play to improve stability by practicing balance and core strength.
References
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Behm, D. G., Drinkwater, E. J., Willardson, J. M., & Cowley, P. M. (2010). Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology position stand: The use of instability to train the core in athletic and nonathletic conditioning. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 35(1), 109-112. doi:10.1139/h09-128
Bredin, S. (2017). Summary sheet motor milestones [PDF file]. Canvas. https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/60344/files/9817194?module_item_id=2409779
Furdon, S. A. (2017). Prematurity. Pediatrics: Cardiac Disease and Critical Care Medicine. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/975909-overview
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Surkar, S. M., Edelbrock, C., Stergiou, N., Berger, S., & Harbourne, R. (2015). Sitting Postural Control Affects the Development of Focused Attention in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 27(1), 16-22. doi:10.1097/pep.0000000000000097
Travers, B. G., Bigler, E. D., Duffield, T. C., Prigge, M. D., Froehlich, A. L., Lange, N., Lainhart, J. E. (2016). Longitudinal Development of Manual Motor Ability in Autism Spectrum Disorder from Childhood to Mid-Adulthood Relates to Adaptive Daily Living Skills. Developmental Science, 20(4). doi:10.1111/desc.12401