The ground reaction force pattern during walking under vestibular-demanding task with/without mastoid vibration:...

Area of Science:

• Human physiology
• Vestibular system function
• Spaceflight adaptation

Background:

• Current Sensory Organization Test condition 5 (SOT5) has limitations in assessing astronaut balance during walking.
• A novel Locomotor Sensory Organization Test (LSOT) was developed to evaluate vestibular function during walking tasks.
• This study investigates ground reaction forces (GRF) during LSOT conditions with and without mastoid vibration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in ground reaction force (GRF) during walking under various sensory-conflicted conditions.
• To assess the impact of mastoid vibration on GRF during locomotor tasks.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the LSOT in challenging vestibular function during locomotion.

Main Methods:

• Sixty healthy adults participated, divided into groups with and without mastoid vibration.
• Ground reaction forces (GRF) were analyzed in vertical, anterior-posterior, and medial-lateral directions.
• Statistical analysis (Friedman's two-way ANOVA) assessed the effects of LSOT conditions and mastoid vibration.

Main Results:

• Walking in LSOT5 significantly increased GRF variability, irrespective of mastoid vibration.
• Mastoid vibration application led to a reduction in GRF peak amplitudes.
• The combination of LSOT5 and mastoid vibration presented the most challenging condition.

Conclusions:

• Analyzing GRF effectively detects altered balance control strategies in sensory-conflicted environments.
• Findings support the use of LSOT for pre/post-space mission vestibular assessment.
• Results can inform sensorimotor training programs for astronauts navigating complex sensory conditions.