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Effect of Experimentally-Induced Trunk Muscular Tensions on the Sit-to-Stand Task Performance and Associated Postural
Alain Hamaoui1, Caroline Alamini-Rodrigues2
1Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Posture et du Mouvement, Centre universitaire de formation et de recherche Jean-François ChampollionAlbi, France; Laboratoire Mouvement, Equilibre, Performance, Santé (EA 4445), Université de Pau et des Pays de l'AdourTarbes, France.
Increased trunk muscle tension affects balance during dynamic tasks like sit-to-stand. Higher tension prolongs anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) without changing focal movement duration, suggesting adaptations for maintaining performance.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Motor Control
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Increased trunk muscular activity can impair body balance.
- Limited knowledge exists on trunk tension's impact on dynamic tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of unilateral and bilateral trunk muscle tension on sit-to-stand (STS) performance.
- To analyze the associated anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) during STS.
Main Methods:
- Twelve healthy females performed STS at maximum speed under varying trunk muscle tension conditions.
- Center of pressure (CP) signals from a force plate and kinematics from accelerometers were used.
- Biomechanical parameters assessed included APA duration/magnitude and focal movement duration (dFM).
Main Results:
- Elevated trunk muscle tension led to longer APAs but a stable focal movement duration.
- No significant differences in APAs or dFM were observed between unilateral and bilateral tension increases.
- Higher trunk tension necessitated APA programming adaptations for consistent STS performance.
Conclusions:
- Restricted mobility from increased trunk tension requires adapted APA strategies for task performance.
- Findings may inform treatment strategies for conditions involving increased muscle tension to maintain functional autonomy.
