Changes in postural strategy during exercise against perturbation using the balance exercise assist robot: a pilot study
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Updated: Mar 7, 2026
A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance
Published on: March 19, 2020
Norihide Itoh1, Shigeo Tanabe2, Satoshi Hirano3
1Department of Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine: 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan; Faculty of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Japan.
Abstract:
[Purpose] To clarify the changes in postural strategy by evaluating leg joint motion and muscle activity before and after continuous exercise against perturbation using the Balance Exercise Assist Robot (BEAR). [Subjects and Methods] Nine healthy subjects (male 7, female 2; mean age 23 ± 1 years) performed a postural perturbation coping exercise only. In the task, the robot leaned and moved automatically. Participants were instructed to maintain their default upright position and they performed the exercise five times in a row (1 minute/trial). Changes in total movement distance, range of motion of each joint (hip, knee, ankle), and mean activity of each muscle for the first and fifth trials were compared. [Results] The total movement distance of BEAR and range of motion in the hip decreased significantly from the first trial to the last trial. No change in muscle activity was observed in the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior or gastrocnemius. [Conclusion] The results for exercise against perturbation using BEAR in this study suggest that BEAR may be a promising method to improve the ankle strategy for maintaining a standing posture.
