Force asymmetry indicator in the assessment of maintaining human body balance in an upright position. Force asymmetry indicator (FAI)
Journal Title: Antropomotoryka. Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences - Year 2015, Vol 25, Issue 72
Abstract
Introduction. Most studies dealing with the process of maintaining the body balance in erect posture are concerned with the motor mechanisms ensuring the safeness of the process. A relatively small number of works analyse the changes in values of the ground reaction forces (i.e. the resultant and its components) in response to the pressure of the left and right foot occurring during this process, and the possibility of utilising them to evaluate its various aspects (repeatability, laterality, etc.). These problems seem worth explaining, an attempt at which was made in the present study.Aim of the study. To examine the possibility of using the direct measurements of the ground reaction force components (in response to right and left foot pressure) as a function of time, along with the force asymmetry indicator (FAI) created from the measurement values, to assess the laterality and symmetry of functioning of feet while performing weight transmission and balancing functions when maintaining erect posture. An additional decision was made to check if repeatability of these activities occurs.Material and methods. The study involved 82 persons (out of whom 31 were women and 51 were men). The study consisted of recording changes of ground reaction forces during three consecutive 15-seconds’ attempts at maintaining body balance in an upright position. With the use of two piezoelectric platforms, the measurements and recording were made for the three force components: vertical, horizontal (lateral) and horizontal (anterior-posterior direction). The results of the synchronised time measurements of the forces in relation to right and left foot were used to construct the force asymmetry indicator (FAI), which was subjected to multivariate statistical analysis.Results. The foot pressure causes different rates of ground reaction forces for all the directions of its components when maintaining body balance in erect posture. The largest differences occurred in the transfer of body weight forwards and backwards, and only slight differences occurred for transfer to the sides and along the up-down direction. Values and signs of the asymmetry indicator show that for the majority of respondents, the left foot is the dominant one for the function of weight transmission (the up-down direction), whereas it is the right foot that takes over the function of balancing posture (positive values of the asymmetry indicator for front-back and left-right directions). The comparison of mean values of the asymmetry indicator in three consecutive tests indicates repeatability of balance mechanisms in subsequent studies.Conclusions. The proposed asymmetry indicator may serve to assess laterality of action of the lower limbs (feet) in the process of maintaining body balance in erect posture; the assessment can be done on the basis of recording ground reaction forces for different directions of the forces, by pointing to the dominance of one of the lower limbs in fulfilling the weight transmission and balancing functions.
Authors and Affiliations
Jacek Stodółka, Leszek Korzewa
Keywords
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