Kung-fu versus swimming training and the effects on balance abilities in young adolescents.

Objective: Our purpose is to investigate the static balance control of young adolescents practicing kung-fu and swimming in order to find out which of these physical activities is the most effective in developing specific balance abilities in young adolescents.
Design: Comparative experimental study.
Setting: University laboratory research.
Participants: Three groups of 11-13-year-old boys (12 practicing Kung-Fu, 12 practicing swimming and 12 controls).
Main Outcome Measures: Center of pressure (CoP) excursions were registered in upright bipedal and unipedal stances on a stabilometric force platform in eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions.
Results: Kung-fu practitioners control their balance (P < .05) better than controls and swimmers in the unipedal posture when visual inputs are available. Kung-fu training improved (P < .05) the bipedal balance control in the EO condition. However, swimming training developed (P < .05) bipedal balance control in both EO and EC conditions. The swimmers showed a lower reliance on vision (P < .05) compared to kung-fu practitioners.
Conclusions: Both of these physical activities could be recommended for young adolescents as recreational or rehabilitation programs as they develop specific balance abilities that could be important for improving and maintaining optimal health.
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