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Introduction:
The topic that I am going to discuss in this essay is balance. Throughout this paper I will explain what it is, and I will elaborate on the different aspects of it, which are static, dynamic, axial and postural balance. Then I will comment on the different systems in the body that play important roles in balance. After that I will talk about the role of balance in sports and explain why it is essential in almost every sport. From there, I will go on to explain the differences between developing and developed features of balance. It is important for physical education teachers to know these differences because it is useful for observing balance skills in individuals. Finally, I will look at a wide variety of static and dynamic activities that a physical education teacher can use when they are working on balance skills with young children. When I say that the activities will be focused towards young children, I mean that the activities will be geared towards children in grades one to six, depending on their age and development level.
What is Balance?:
According to Motor Development in Early Childhood balance can be defined as “…the ability of the child to sustain control of the body when using both sides simultaneously, individually, or alternately” (Graham et al, 1993, p. ... This means that a person is in balance when they are not flapping their arms, toppling or wobbling. People are able to stay in balance because their centre of gravity is over their base of support. But besides just looking at balance in the broad sense there are also four other aspects of balance, which affect every individual. These four aspects are static, dynamic, axial and postural balance.
Static balance is the ability to maintain a desired shape in a stationary position (Graham et al, 1993). Examples of static balance include headstands, handstands, and inverted or upright balances.
“Dynamic balance involves maintaining an on-balance position while moving, starting, or stopping” (Graham et al, 1993, p. ... Examples on dynamic balance include jumping, throwing, catching, and skateboarding.
Axial balance is a combination of static and dynamic balance that “involves such positions and actions as bending, stretching, twisting, turning, swinging, swaying, etc” (Fitzpatrick, 2003, p. ...
Postural balance is our body’s reflective response to gravity (Corbin, 1980). This type of balance allows us to maintain an upright posture, walk, sit and move around in our world.
What are the systems that have an effect on balance?:
There are three systems that play important roles in an individual’s balance. ...
There are a couple of tests that physical educators can use on children to evaluate their vestibular systems. The first test is called the Manns test, which requires children to stand on a straight line with the heel of one of their feet against the toe of their other foot and close their eyes (Refer to Appendix A). The second test is called the One - Leg Test, which consists of having children stand only on their preferred foot, with their opposite leg bent at the knee and then closing their eyes. After this physical educators can have the children repeat the action standing on their non-preferred leg (Cheatum and Hammond, 2000) (Refer to Appendix B). ... Children use this system to keep themselves from falling in a variety of activities such as jumping, playing soccer and football, and running. One way to evaluate this system is to get children to perform the Rhomberg Test. This test is used to evaluate the balance of a child in a standing position. ... The proprioceptive system is responsible for controlling the various parts of the body (feet, ankles, legs, trunk, arms) to maintain balance. An observer tries to determine or note loss of balance, weaving back and forth, lifting or moving the feet apart, and lifting one or both arms.
Approximate Word count = 3197
Approximate Pages = 12.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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