Gender Differences in Adolescent Postural Control: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study in a Southern Italian Cohort

Background: Adolescence is characterized by rapid physical growth and neuromuscular
reorganization, which may influence the development of postural control. Gender-specific
differences in pubertal timing suggest that girls may achieve postural stability earlier than
boys, but evidence remains inconsistent. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to examine
gender differences in static postural control among adolescents. Material and methods: A
total of 59 students (28 females, 31 males; mean age 13.49 ± 0.97 years) from two schools in
Bari, Italy, participated. Postural stability was assessed during bipedal and single-leg stance
tasks under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions using an inertial sensor placed at the
lumbosacral region. The primary outcomes were sway path length and oscillation ellipse
area. Results: Females demonstrated significantly shorter path length in eyes-open bipedal
stance (p = 0.027, d = −0.51), as well as reduced ellipse area (p = 0.047, d = −0.44) and path
length (p = 0.010, d = −0.62) in eyes-closed bipedal stance. No significant gender differences
were observed in single-leg stance. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis
that adolescent girls exhibit superior postural stability compared to boys, particularly
under challenging sensory conditions. Such differences may reflect earlier maturational
processes and suggest possible implications for motor development, injury prevention, and
sports training.