Effects of Ankle Angular Position and Standing Surface on Postural Control of Upright Stance

in Motor Control

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Fawaz A. Alwadani University of Illinois at Chicago

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Huaqing Liang University of Illinois at Chicago

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Alexander S. Aruin University of Illinois at Chicago

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/mc.2019-0079
Keywords:
dorsiflexion; plantarflexion; proprioception; standing balance
First Published Online:
23 Jan 2020
In Print:
Volume 24: Issue 2
Page Range:
291–303
Restricted access

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of ankle angular position and standing surface type on static upright balance. Ten young adults stood on a force platform or on a firm wedge that induced 15° of either dorsiflexion or plantarflexion. In addition, a piece of foam was placed on top of the force platform and on the wedge. The center of pressure distance and velocity in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions were calculated. Significantly larger magnitudes in most of the investigated variables were seen while standing with ankles in the dorsiflexion when compared with standing with the ankle joints in a natural position (p < .05). Plantarflexion increased the center of pressure anteroposterior velocity by 87% when compared with a natural stance (p < .05). Standing on the foam surfaces resulted in increases in all of the center of pressure measures by an average of 38% in all of the ankle conditions.

The authors are with the Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Aruin (aaruin@uic.edu) is corresponding author.
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