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Postural Organization of Gait Initiation for Biomechanical Analysis Using Force Platform Recordings
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A bidirectional model of postural sway using force plate data.
Karla D Bustamante Valles1, Ubong I Udoekwere2, Jason T Long2
1Marquette University, Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Engineering Center (OREC), 735 N. 17th Street, Suite 105, Milwaukee, WI 53233; Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Chihuahua Campus, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Critical Reviews in Biomedical Engineering
|May 9, 2015
Summary
This study developed a bidirectional postural control model, revealing sensory conditions significantly alter medial-lateral sway but not anterior-posterior sway in healthy adults.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Human Motor Control
- Systems Neuroscience
Background:
- Postural control is crucial for maintaining balance during quiet standing.
- Previous models focused on anterior-posterior (AP) sway, neglecting medial-lateral (ML) sway.
- Understanding multi-directional sway is key to identifying postural control deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To expand a previous AP postural control model to incorporate ML sway during quiet standing.
- To investigate the effects of sensory conditions on postural control strategies.
- To simulate postural sway using a bidirectional model with Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers.
Main Methods:
- Developed a bidirectional model simulating two decoupled inverted pendulums for AP (ankle strategy) and ML (hip strategy) sway.
- Collected postural data from 31 healthy participants under eyes closed, eyes open, and visual feedback conditions.
- Adjusted PID controller parameters in simulations to match experimental sway metrics (p ≤ 0.01).
Main Results:
- AP sway controller parameters showed no significant changes across sensory conditions.
- ML sway controller parameters (stiffness, time delay) exhibited significant changes.
- Experimental ML sway metrics also differed significantly across the three sensory conditions.
Conclusions:
- The bidirectional model effectively simulates postural sway, highlighting the distinct control mechanisms for AP and ML directions.
- Sensory manipulation significantly impacts ML postural control, involving adjustments in stiffness and time delay.
- This multi-sensory evaluation and modeling approach provides insights into postural pathology and control strategies.
