Adult prematures notice that they are clumsy. The extent to which different per person and of course not every premature suffers from this. Those who suffer from it notice clear differences between themselves and people who were born on time.
Clumsyness manifests itself in motor skills or even as you move. Science also shows that there is a difference between prematures and non prematures in motor skills. You have the fine motor skills you use to tie and write the exact tasks such as lace. In addition, you have the coarse motor skills you use for the less precise tasks such as running and running. Research has shown that prematures tend to move slightly slower on average and have less good manual skills than those born on time. Among other things, there are problems with the balance. These problems often arise at a young age and remain present at an adult age. *
The cause of the clumsiness is that someone has not been able to develop his or her motor skills properly. This can be due to possible brain damage. On the other hand, it may also have to do with the white matter in the brain.* For example, due to a low birth weight, defects in white matter can occur in various areas of the brain. Furthermore, there may be disturbances in the organization and connections of nerve fibers.** The reduced speed in moving may be due to a less good connection between the networks in the brain that provide the motor skills.
This is why it is important to detect problems when moving early. These problems already arise in young people and continue to be present in adults. Furthermore, it is important to look at, for example, a sport or activity that fits the way someone moves. For example, physiotherapists can support this if necessary.
* Husby I.M., Skranes J., Olsen A., Brubakk A.M., Evensen K.A. (2013). Motor skills at 23 years of age in young adults born preterm with very low birth weight.
** Skranes J., Vangberg T.R., Kulseng S., Indidavik M. S., Evensen K.A., Martinussen M., Dale A.M., Haraldseth O., Brubakk A.M. (2007). Clinical findings and white matter abnormalities seen on diffusion tensor imaging in adolescents with very low birth weight.
