Postural Sway & ADHD: Understanding the Connection

What Is Postural Sway?

Postural sway is defined as small movements made around the body’s center of gravity in order to maintain balance. While postural sway is a normal phenomenon, excessive sway can be indicative of underlying health issues or balance disorders. Until recently, postural sway and ADHD has been investigated more often in children than adults.¹

Brain structures have also been found to initiate the likelihood of postural sway, such as increased gray matter in the cerebellum. The cerebellum is a part of the brain that is responsible for maintaining balance and movement. Other body systems are involved in balance, such as the vestibular system, vision system, and proprioception.²

What Is the Connection Between Postural Sway & ADHD?

Postural sway has been found to be more pronounced in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Research has found that up to 50% of children with ADHD experience motor control issues.¹ Furthermore, these issues are increasingly found to impact young adults and adult populations as well as children. These differences in postural sway in individuals living with ADHD is related to an impairment of physical sensation of position.³

Postural Sway in Children With ADHD

Postural sway can manifest in children with ADHD to a more frequent extent than their neurotypical peers. Research has found that postural sway generally improves with age, and is often more pronounced in children than adults.⁴ Another study found that children, when asked to focus on their difficulties with balance, were able to improve their postural sway.⁵

Does Postural Sway Increase With Age?

The relationship between postural sway and aging is complex. It would seem that young children appear to have more pronounced levels of postural sway prior to the age of seven before more adult-like systems of balance develop.⁴ However, as humans age, cognitive function and gait speed associated with balance tend to worsen in older adults.⁶

Impact of Postural Sway on Daily Life

Postural sway has been found to be indicative of an individual’s level of balance and coordination. This means that someone experiences more postural sway as a result of struggle with coordination and balance. This can impact an individual differently depending on their developmental stage in life. Younger children, for example, may be deterred from pursuing sports or other activities that necessitate the use of balance and coordination if they have high levels of postural sway. Older adults with higher levels of postural sway may be more prone to dangerous falls and accidents associated with poor coordination and balance.

How to Improve Postural Sway

Research has indicated that therapies which target attention and focus on posture may help reduce postural sway.⁷ This means that specific therapies, such as physical therapy exercises, occupational therapy, and other interventions aimed at improving balance and coordination may be useful for those who struggle with this condition. Effectiveness of these treatments likely depends on many factors such as the intensity and frequency of postural sway as well as the nature of the underlying condition which is causing postural sway.

At-Home Exercises to Improve Postural Sway

There are practical at-home techniques and exercises that can help improve postural sway. Regular practice and gradually increasing the difficulty of these exercises are important parts of these therapies resulting in longer lasting and noticeable improvements.

Here are some at-home exercises that can improve postural sway:

• Balance exercises such as standing on one foot and walking heel-to-toe
• General increases in physical activity at safe levels
• Lying or sitting on exercise balls
• General strength building exercises

ADHD Treatment

There are several options that are commonly used in ADHD treatment. A comprehensive treatment plan generally involves behavioral treatment of symptoms and medication. A combination of these interventions that are individually tailored to an individual is generally found to be most useful.

Here are some common treatment options for ADHD to look into:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT for ADHD generally targets thoughts and behaviors associated with symptoms and works to decrease the interference of these thoughts and behaviors in an individual’s daily life.
• Medications: Generally medications for ADHD are helpful in treating symptoms. An individual may consult with their prescribing provider to investigate stimulant and non-stimulant medication for ADHD.
• Music therapy: For some music therapy for ADHD may help reduce the frequency and intensity of symptoms.
• Interpersonal therapy: Interpersonal therapy can generally help deepen self-understanding and help a person understand patterns that result in symptoms associated with ADHD.
• Mindfulness: Therapy which has components of mindfulness can be helpful in treating ADHD by strengthening the mind/body connection.
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): DBT for ADHD can be helpful in learning strategies for managing difficult emotions that often arise when managing ADHD symptoms.

When to Seek Professional Support

If ADHD symptoms are causing problems at home, at work or in other important areas of life it is important to find a neurodiverse-affirming therapist. An online therapist directory or online therapy platform can be helpful. If considering medication for treating ADHD symptoms, online psychiatrist options are a good choice for finding support with ADHD medication management.