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Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
Published on: September 11, 2019
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Movement Time of Lower Trunk Muscles during Dynamic Postural Control in Response to a Sudden Visual Stimulus during
Jaehyun Jung1,2, Kewwan Kim3, Sungjae Choi1,2
1College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
Summary
Trunk muscle response time during walking did not significantly differ between younger and older adults or by sex. This suggests other factors, not muscle movement time, may explain age and sex differences in fall risk.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Human Movement Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Postural control during walking relies on trunk movement and muscle responses to unexpected stimuli.
- Age and sex influence the frequency of loss-of-balance incidents during ambulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age and sex-related differences in trunk muscle movement time following sudden visual stimuli during walking.
Main Methods:
- Surface electromyography measured movement time (excluding reaction time) of erector spinae and rectus abdominis muscles.
- Participants included healthy young adults (20-30 years) and older adults (50-70 years).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in erector spinae muscle movement time were found based on age or sex.
- Rectus abdominis muscle contribution to posture during walking was deemed insignificant in this context.
Conclusions:
- Trunk muscle movement time to sudden visual stimuli during walking is consistent across different age groups and sexes.
- Variations in fall risk related to age and sex may stem from other postural control factors beyond trunk muscle response latency.
