Foot Placement Alters the Mechanisms of Postural Control While Standing and Reaching

IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng, 2003 · DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2003.819790 · Published: December 1, 2003

Simple Explanation

This study explores how different foot positions affect balance and reaching ability in standing individuals. It's relevant for people with spinal cord injuries who use electrical stimulation to stand. The research compares side-by-side, wide, and tandem foot placements during reaching tasks. The focus is on how these positions change body movements and balance control. The modified tandem stance, with one foot slightly forward, showed more consistent and potentially simpler balance control, which could improve the effectiveness of electrical stimulation systems.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

5 able-bodied subjects

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The modified tandem stance led to larger and more consistent anterior/posterior COP excursions across different reach directions compared to side-by-side and wide stances.
2
Movement patterns during the tandem stance were more consistent, suggesting they might be easier to achieve with functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS).
3
Maximum reach distance was not significantly affected by foot placement, but reaching to the left was greater than reaching to the right or center.

Research Summary

This study investigates the impact of foot placement on postural control during reaching tasks, particularly for individuals with spinal cord injuries using functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS). The modified tandem stance demonstrated advantages in terms of consistent postural responses and simplified control strategies, potentially enhancing the functionality of FNS standing systems. The study highlights the potential of the modified tandem stance for improving postural stability and facilitating coordinated movements in FNS-assisted standing and reaching.

Practical Implications

FNS System Design

The modified tandem stance may enhance the functionality of FNS standing systems for individuals with SCI.

Rehabilitation Programs

The modified tandem stance may also be useful in other standing rehabilitation programs.

Clinical Practice

Findings suggest proper foot placement may improve postural stability while standing and performing reaching tasks.

Study Limitations

1
Subject-to-subject differences in biomechanical parameters despite normalization.
2
The upper extremities would likely be used for partial support during reaching for FNS standing system users, which may alter the postural adjustments observed with able-bodied subjects.
3
Increased joint moment requirements for the initial posture when using the modified tandem stance are of particular concern for the FNS standing system user.

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