RESUMO: OBJETIVO: O controle postural do tronco é importante para estabilizar o corpo e gerar força muscular durante atividades esportivas. Quando o tronco está estabilizado, é mais fácil e mais seguro transferir forças aplicadas ao longo do corpo para executar qualquer tarefa motora, porque incrementa-se a ação muscular e reduzem-se as cargas articulares. O controle postural do tronco é importante para estabilizar o corpo inteiro e gerar força muscular durante atividades esportivas. O objetivo deste estudo é verificar a velocidade e direção do movimento do tronco em atletas de basquetebol em cadeira de rodas. MÉTODO: Participaram 26 atletas de basquetebol em cadeira de rodas testados no sistema "NeuroCom Balance Master", através do protocolo "Mudança Rítmica de Carga". Foram convidados a lançar todo o corpo para a direita, esquerda, para frente e para trás. Testes avaliaram esses movimentos em baixa, média e alta velocidade. RESULTADO: A velocidade de movimento foi significativamente afetada pela velocidade e direção da tarefa. A maior velocidade de movimento foi observada para a tarefa rápida na direção esquerda/direita. Não houve interação entre a tarefa e sua direção. CONCLUSÃO: Atletas de basquetebol em cadeira de rodas moveram-se mais rapidamente na direção esquerda/direita. Este resultado sugere que o controle postural para o indivíduo em cadeira de rodas é dependente da direção do movimento.

OBJECTIVE: Postural control of the trunk is important to stabilize the entire body and to generate muscle force during sports activities. When the trunk is stable, it is easier and safer to transfer applied forces along the body to perform any motor task because it enhances muscle action and reduces joint loads. Postural control of the trunk is important to stabilize the entire body and to generate muscle force during sports activities. The aim of this study is to verify the velocity and direction of trunk movement in wheelchair basketball athletes. METHOD: Participants were 26 wheelchair basketball athletes, they were tested on the NeuroCom Balance Master System, protocol: Rhythmic Weight Shift. They were asked to sway the entire body to the right, left, forward and backward. Trials evaluated these movements in low, medium and high velocities. RESULT: Movement velocity was very significantly affected by task speed and task direction. The highest movement velocity was observed for the fast task and for the left/right direction. There was no interaction between the task and its direction. CONCLUSION: Wheelchair basketball athletes moved their body faster in the left/right direction. This result suggests that postural control is direction-dependent for the wheelchair-bound individual.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of anthropometric characteristics and gender on postural balance in adults. One hundred individuals were examined (50 males, 50 females; age range 20-40 years). METHODS: The following body composition measurements were collected (using bone densitometry measurements): fat percentage (% fat), tissue (g), fat (g), lean mass (g), bone mineral content (g), and bone mineral density (g/cm2). In addition, the following anthropometric measurements were collected: body mass (kg), height (cm), length of the trunk-cephalic region (cm), length of the lower limbs (cm) and length of the upper limbs (cm). The following indices were calculated: body mass index (kg/m²), waist-hip ratio and the support base (cm²). Also, a postural balance test was performed using posturography variables with open and closed eyes. RESULTS: The analysis revealed poor correlations between postural balance and the anthropometric variables. A multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the whole group (female and male) height explained 12% of the medial-lateral displacement, 10% of the speed of oscillation, and 11% of the displacement area. The length of the trunk-cephalic length explained 6% of the displacement in the anteroposterior direction. With eyes closed, the support base and height explained 18% of the medial displacement, and the lateral height explained 10% of the displacement speed and 5% of the scroll area. CONCLUSION: Measured using posturography, the postural balance was only slightly influenced by the anthropometric variables, both with open and closed eyes. Height was the anthropometric variable that most influenced postural balance, both in the whole group and separately for each gender. Postural balance was more influenced by anthropometric factors in males than females.