Article

During voluntary stepping initiation, postural stability along the mediolateral
direction is controlled via "anticipatory postural adjustment" (APA). This study
tested the hypothesis that, in young healthy subjects, the biomechanical features
of mediolateral APA depend on the leg that initiates stepping. Subjects (N=10)
initiated a rapid single step with the preferred (P condition) and the
non-preferred leg (NP condition) on a force-plate. Results showed that
mediolateral APA duration (P=0.020) and amplitude were higher (as attested by the
increase in maximal center-of-gravity velocity (P=0.003) and displacement
(P<0.001) during APA), and that mediolateral stability was better (as attested by
the attenuation in center-of-gravity velocity at time of swing-foot contact
(P=0.007)) in P than in NP. These results support the view that stepping
initiation in healthy subjects involves postural asymmetry. This statement may
have relevant implications in clinical evaluation where postural asymmetry is
generally considered as reflecting postural impairment.
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Langue : ANGLAIS