Citation

Dutt-Mazumder A, Gruben KG. J. Biomech. 2021; 119: e110288.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110288

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The multi-joint coordination responsible for maintaining upright posture in the standing human manifests in the pattern of variation of the support-surface force (F). Assessment of both the translational and rotational kinematics in the sagittal-plane requires understanding the critical relationship between the direction and location of F. Prior work demonstrated that band-pass filtered F direction and center-of-pressure (CoP) covary in time such that the F vector lines-of-action pass near a fixed point called an intersection point (IP). The height of that IP (IP(z)) varies systematically with the frequency of the pass band. From F measurements in able-bodied humans (n = 17) standing on various pitched surfaces, the present study also found the emergent property of an IP, with IP(z) located above the center of mass (CoM) at frequencies <1.75 Hz and below the CoM for higher frequencies. This property aids in maintaining upright posture for various perturbation modes within a single control structure. From purely mechanical effects, standing on a pitched surface should not change IP(z), however these measurements of F show that IP(z) is generally closer to CoM height. This characterization of quiet standing provides simple means of assessing the complex multi-joint coordination of standing and relates directly to the physical demands of controlling the translational and rotational aspects of body posture.

Language: en

Keywords

Balance; Ground reaction force; Intersection point; Posture