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Updated: May 25, 2026

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
Published on: September 11, 2019
Effects of added inertia and body weight support on lateral balance control during walking
Andrew Pennycott1, Dario Wyss, Heike Vallery
1Sensory-Motor Systems Lab, ETH Z¨urich, Switzerland. andrew.pennycott@mavt.ethz.ch
Abstract:
A robot-driven gait orthosis which allows balance training during gait would further enhance the capabilities of robotic treadmill training in gait rehabilitation. In this paper, additional mass is attached to walking able-bodied subjects to simulate the effects of additional inertia and body weight support on the lateral balance task. The combination of additional inertia and body weight support led to reduced step widths, suggesting a stabilising effect which may reduce the challenge of the lateral balance task.

