The Process of the Development of the Rising from a Supine Position to an Erect Stance in Healthy Children

A Six-year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how the movement of rising from a supine position to an erect stance in healthy children was developed into mature movement, in a longitudinal study. A second aim was to conjecture the factors affecting the development of the rising movement. Methods: The movements of 11 healthy children (mean age 4y, 0mo) were recorded on videotape, beginning from their initial year of kindergarten and continuing through their fourth year of elementary school. We investigated the movement patterns of rising from a supine position to an erect stance, the intra-individual variability of movement patterns, and the time needed to perform rising. Results: The movement patterns changed in a stepwise manner, and the alteration ended at a mean age of 8y, 10mo. During the period of movement pattern alteration, the intra-individual variability of movement patterns was great. The time to perform rising decreased with development, and the time continued to decrease after the end of movement pattern changing. Conclusion: In our longitudinal study, it was clear that the movement pattern used to rise from a supine position to an erect stance was mature by the time a child had reached 9 years of age, and the movement patterns changed nonlinearly. Children showed great intra-individual and inter-individual variability with regard to the development of movement patterns. In the process of maturation of movement, each child selected the most suitable movement pattern from a diversity of movement patterns, depending on their physical situation.