Feasibility of Combined Baropodometric and Stabilometric Assessment of Gait Symmetry in a Healthy Child: A Brief Report

Gait and postural symmetry are essential indicators of neuromotor development and rehabilitation. This brief report presents a single-case pilot study evaluating the feasibility of combined baropodometric and stabilometric analyses in healthy pediatric subjects. A male child (8 years old) underwent static and dynamic plantar pressure tests and stabilometric assessments under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions using a FreeMed® system. The results revealed mild asymmetry in plantar load (51% left vs. 49% right) and posterior loading tendency (62% rearfoot). Dynamic assessment indicated a longer stance duration on the left and higher propulsion forces on the right. Stabilometric analysis showed increased sway and a Romberg index >2.0 under visual deprivation, suggesting strong visual dependence for balance control. These findings demonstrate the sensitivity and feasibility of integrating baropodometric and stabilometric tools for detecting functional asymmetries, even in healthy children. This preliminary evidence supports their potential use in early screening, rehabilitation monitoring, and preventive assessment. Furthermore, the integrated approach contributes to advances in understanding gait symmetry and knee-related kinematic balance strategies during pediatric development.