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At least 1,081 records · Page 60Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Bodily perception in the organization of postural attitude and movement.

In the present research we hypothesized that some particular areas or points of the body play a role in the modulation of muscular (tonic and phasic) activity. In particular, we hypothesized that subjects utilize some bodily points as constant perceptual afferences in organizing the motoric responses of the whole body. The bodily points (called perceptual focal points) could have the same role as the bow of a boat for the sailor in orienting the spatial position of the boat and its movement. We have observed the presence of these perceptual focal points in 85% of a group of undergraduate students of psychology, 21 women and 19 men, during a real and an imagined movement of the whole body. Results indicated also that, if subjects were told to modify their habitual focal points, important modifications in subjective feelings of instability, pleasure, and tension appeared.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

An initial evaluation of work fatigue and circadian changes as assessed by multiplate posturography.

The sensitivity of postural responses to the effects of work fatigue and circadian changes was explored in a pilot study using a specific method of multiplate posturography based on the differential assessment of vertical pressure on four separate platforms for each heel and set of toes of each foot, respectively 8 normal subjects, M.D.s, were given six posturographic examinations immediately before and after three 8-hr. work shifts in the emergency room of a major hospital in Tel-Aviv. 3 posturographic measures (stability, spectral power of postural sway at low frequency of 0.1-0.25 Hz, and unilateral weakening of heel-toe synchronisation) were significantly affected by work fatigue whilst also showing interaction with circadian rhythm. 2 additional measures (power of sway at high frequency of 1.00-3.00 Hz and dysharmonic distribution of weight over the four platforms) were not related to workload but showed significant circadian changes. These effects appeared only on positions involving restricted visual and somatosensory feedback causing vestibular stress. Results justify the application of multiplate posturography as an ancillary tool in measuring objectively the effects of fatigue and circadian changes as well as the interaction between endogenous chronobiological processes and their external conditioning factors (Zeitgebers). Pragmatic implications of the findings in the context of industrial medicine and interdisciplinary efforts to prevent road and air accidents are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Basic Beijing twenty-four forms of T'ai Chi exercise and average velocity of sway.

To examine the effect of 16 weeks of T'ai Chi exercise on the average velocity of sway 11 subjects were pre- and posttested by using the AMTI force platform. Analysis indicated that T'ai Chi exercise was associated with substantial changes in the sway velocities in anterior and posterior directions for the group but was not assessed against any control groups performance. That remains to be evaluated.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1998

Examining the mobilizing feature of footedness.

This study examined the mobilizing feature of footedness in a unilateral and a bilateral context. Analysis for 47 right- and 32 left-footed undergraduates indicated a strong relationship between preferred limbs in both conditions, with right footer showing the strongest concordance. Theoretical explanations for the origin of behavior and differences in right versus left concordance are discussed. Based on selected previous reports and present findings, it seems reasonable that for most persons the right foot may be preferred for mobilizing activities regardless of behavioral context.

Foot↗
PubMed1999

Perceptibility of body position in anteroposterior direction while standing with eyes closed.

The perception of body position in the anteroposterior direction was investigated by evaluating the reproducibility of the position from a quiet standing posture to forward or backward leaning posture with eyes closed. The subjects were 10 healthy male undergraduates, aged 20 to 28 years. The standing position was represented by the pressure center of the foot, which was shown by the relative distance (%) from the heel to the length of the foot. The reference positions of the pressure center of the foot were set at 10% increments from 20 to 80% of the length of the foot. The subjects attempted to reproduce each reference position 10 times, and the absolute and constant errors of the reproduced position were analyzed. The absolute errors at reference positions of 30 to 60% were distinctly larger than those at the other reference positions. This indicated that the perception of standing positions from 30 to 60% was less accurate. The constant errors at the reference positions of 40 to 60% were significantly positive, which meant that the reproduced position was located farther forward than the reference position.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Study of anticipatory postural adjustments in an air pistol-shooting task.

A segmental teleokinetic movement performed from an upright standing position is usually preceded by a sequence of postural movements having the goal of counteracting the imbalance which will be caused by the forthcoming movement. This study had two aims, (1) to verify whether the postural component was programmed in the same way as that of the teleokinetic component and (2) to verify whether the postural component was specific to the direction and speed of the movement. 12 participants performed a pistol-shooting task involving a rapid arm-raising movement. Three directions, two time deadlines, and three types of cue were manipulated. This study showed that the postural component was sensitive to the cue effects, the characteristics of anticipatory postural adjustments were specific to the direction of the movement, and the characteristics of the postural muscle EMG burst were the same whether the participants programmed or deprogrammed and reprogrammed their movements for a given direction. The speed parameter did not seem to have any significant influence on the characteristics of the anticipatory postural adjustments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Modality of postural movement in men and women with both arms flexed during standing.

We investigated postural movement associated with bilateral arm flexion in response to a light signal during standing in 179 healthy men and women to assess whether individual and sex differences arc evident in the postural movement pattern. The following results were obtained. (a) A correlation of -.87 was noted between movement angles of the foot-leg and leg-trunk. (b) Individual differences in movement angle were approximately twice as large in the hip joint as in the ankle and knee joints, and the movement angle of the leg trunk showed approximately half the number of extension as flexion movements. (c) The postural movement pattern was categorized on the basis of the movement angle of the foot leg and leg trunk into the following three patterns: hip flexion, backward leaning, and hip extension. The percentages of subjects showing these patterns were 59.2%, 33.5%, and 7.3%, respectively. (d) The inclination angle reflecting the righting response showed a gradual increase in size in the order of trunk, head, and neck. However, the righting response was not controlled precisely enough to enable subjects to maintain the inclination angle in a quiet standing posture. (e) We identified a significant sex difference in the relative frequency of subjects in the postural movement pattern.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Influence of training on maintenance of equilibrium on a tilting platform.

To assess the influence of training on the maintenance of equilibrium on a tilting platform, 13 young healthy male athletes aged 19 to 33 years were randomly divided into experimental (n=7) and control (n=6) groups. Two experimental sessions were performed before and after a specific 4-wk. training by the experimental group. Subjects stood upright on a tilting platform. The athletes were asked to maintain the platform as horizontal as possible during a 30-sec. test. The three-dimensional movements of the platform versus the ground were recorded by using a computerized optoelectronic digitiser. The platform plane was calculated and its directrix computed. The area of oscillation and instantaneous angular velocity of the directrix at standardized height were calculated. In both groups the area of oscillation and the angular velocity were reduced in Session 2, but the reduction was significant only in the experimental group. Specific training can significantly improve skill at maintaining equilibrium in young healthy sport performers.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Determinants of four functional tasks among older adults: an exploratory regression analysis.

Functional ability declines in later life. The purpose of this project was to determine if strength, postural control, and joint pain predict performance of four functional tasks among older adults. A sample of 28 older adults completed assessments of strength, postural control, joint pain, and four functional tasks. The duration to complete the functional tasks of: 1) getting out of bed, going to a chair, and then returning to bed; 2) crossing a street and getting onto a bus; 3) exiting the passenger side of a car; and 4) climbing a flight of 27 stairs was recorded. Step-wise regression equations indicated that seated row strength and dynamic postural control were significant predictors of all of the tasks and accounted for the largest proportion of the variance in each equation. These results indicate that measures of physical fitness may be more important predictors of functional tasks among older adults than chronological age.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Thoracolumbar proprioception in individuals with and without low back pain: intratester reliability, clinical applicability, and validity.

STUDY DESIGN: Repeated measures design of active spinal position sense in individuals with and without low back pain (LBP). OBJECTIVES: Reproducibility and validity evaluation of thoracolumbar proprioception measurement. BACKGROUND: Proprioception studies in peripheral joints and the spine suggest that there may be proprioception deficits due to injury, pain, or degeneration. Kinesthetic retraining may be useful in rehabilitation of patients with LBP, but appropriate measures are required to objectively quantify spinal proprioception. METHODS AND MEASURES: Active-target reproduction in the sagittal, horizontal, and coronal planes was assessed (3 separate occasions for 18 asymptomatic volunteers and 2 occasions for 62 patients with LBP). Repositioning accuracy was expressed as absolute errors (AE) and variable errors (VE). Reliability was analyzed with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and precision with standard error of measurement (SEM) and calculation of the smallest detectable difference (SDD) index. Repeated measures ANOVA and correlations were used for within-group comparisons and discriminant analysis for between-group comparisons. RESULTS: Reproducibility was better for the asymptomatic group, with AE for flexion and rotation being the most reliable (ICC = 0.76-0.80, SEM = 0.91 degrees-1.34 degrees). SDDs were high for all tests, suggesting limited clinical applicability. Reproducibility for the same tests was poor-moderate (ICC = 0.31-0.64, SEM = 0.45 degrees-3.90 degrees) for the patient group. AE for right-side rotation could discriminate between subject groups with 83.3% specificity but only 54.8% sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Proprioception testing, with the methods employed, did not demonstrate good measurement properties in a sample of patients with recurrent LBP. Neither could it sufficiently discriminate between individuals with and without LBP. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

The effect of forefoot varus on postural stability.

STUDY DESIGN: Counterbalanced experimental design study comparing a group of subjects with greater than or equal to 70 of forefoot varus (MFV) to a group with less than 70 of forefoot varus (LFV). OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of forefoot varus on single-limb stance postural stability (PS). BACKGROUND: Impaired PS has been implicated as a potential risk factor for sustaining acute foot and ankle injuries. The identification of variables that deleteriously affect PS may be important in the prevention of future injuries. METHODS AND MEASURES: Postural stability of the MFV group (n = 20) and the LFV group (n = 12) was assessed during right and left single-limb stance and eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. Standard deviations of the x-axis and y-axis ground reaction forces measured via a force platform were used to represent anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) PS, respectively. The mean of 3 successful 5-second trials of each testing condition was calculated and used for subsequent data analysis using 3-way mixed-model ANOVAs with 1 between-subject and 2 within-subject factors. RESULTS: The AP PS scores of the MFV group were significantly greater than those of the LFV group (P < .05). ML PS scores, although higher in the MFV group, were not significantly different from those of the LFV group. Both groups had significantly greater AP and ML PS scores during the eyes-closed versus the eyes-open condition (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the presence of greater than or equal to 70 of forefoot varus may significantly impair AP PS. The decreased stability associated with increased forefoot varus may be due to decreased joint congruity and consequently an increased reliance on soft tissue structures for stability.

Adult↗