Vibration-induced postural reaction continues after the contact with additional back support

We investigated the development of postural reactions induced in standing subjects by Achilles tendon vibration. We compared vibratory reactions in 3 different conditions: normal standing, standing near support, and when the solid support being protracted forward changed the initial posture. Additional support for the back was placed at subject's sacral or shoulder level. In the easy standing condition, the postural vibration reaction consists of progressive backward upper body movement. When the body contacted the additional support on the sacral level during the vibratory reaction, the movement of the upper body continued in most of the subjects. This was accompanied by an increase of pressure on the toes. When the support was applied at the shoulder level, the body motion reversed its direction in half of the subjects. In this case, backward-forward oscillations occurred near the support. The initial change of body-support interaction did not influence the ensuing vibration reaction; namely the reaction was similar to that with the support near to the body at the sacral level. Our data demonstrate that the vibration-induced reaction is not a local reaction limited to one joint, but a complex postural synergy that involves both leg and trunk muscles and integrates the information from touch and pressure afferents of the upper body.