KINESIOLOGY / RESEARCH PAPER
The Optimal Control of Human Standing Posture
1
Department of Human Motor Behavior, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Submission date: 2025-04-03
Final revision date: 2025-07-15
Acceptance date: 2026-06-15
Online publication date: 2026-11-12
Corresponding author
Janusz W. Błaszczyk
Human Motor Behavior, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland
Human Motor Behavior, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Human erect posture has turned postural stability control into a key determinant of human motor behavior. The process of postural control can be simplified to the maintenance of the body's center of gravity (COG) within the base of support (BOS). In such a biomechanical model, the central COG position within the BOS and minimized movement-related disturbances are symptomatic of optimal stability. The postural stability control and its optimization are shaped during ontogenetic development and achieve their optimum in adolescents. To assess the optimal postural stability, a group of 100 young (50 females and 50 males), healthy, and able-bodied subjects participated in the study. The assessment of their postural stability was based on trajectories of the COG oscillations during ten 60-s quiet standing trials with and without visual input. The observed COG oscillations remained within 10 mm and 2 mm in anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) planes, respectively. The COG oscillations significantly correlated with individual body anthropometry and the size of the base of support. The findings of this novel analysis of postural sway can be used as a reference for diagnostic purposes, particularly in age-related changes of postural stability and neuromuscular disorders.
REFERENCES (46)
1.
Amiri, P., & Kearney, R. E. (2019). Ankle intrinsic stiffness changes with postural sway. Journal of Biomechanics, 85, 50–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbio....
2.
Anker, L. C., Weerdesteyn, V., van Nes, I. J., Nienhuis, B., Straatman, H., & Geurts, A. C. (2008). The relation between postural stability and weight distribution in healthy subjects. Gait & Posture, 27(3), 471–477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gait....
3.
Arntz, A. I., van der Putte, D. A. M., Jonker, Z. D., Hauwert, C. M., Frens, M. A., & Forbes, P. A. (2019). The Vestibular Drive for Balance Control Is Dependent on Multiple Sensory Cues of Gravity. Frontiers in Physiology, 10, 476. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.....
4.
Assaiante, C., Barlaam, F., Cignetti, F., & Vaugoyeau, M. (2014). Body schema building during childhood and adolescence: a neurosensory approach. Clinical Neurophysiology, 44(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuc....
5.
Bingham, J. T., & Ting, L. H. (2013). Stability radius as a method for comparing the dynamics of neuromechanical systems. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 21(5), 840–848. https://doi.org/10.1109/tnsre.....
6.
Błaszczyk, J. W., Hansen, P. D., & Lowe, D. L. (1993). Postural sway and perception of the upright stance stability borders. Perception, 22(11), 1333–1341. https://doi.org/10.1068/p22133....
7.
Błaszczyk, J.W., Lowe, D. L., & Hansen, P.D. (1994). Ranges of postural stability and their changes in the elderly. Gait &Posture, 2, 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/0966-6....
8.
Błaszczyk, J. W., Lowe, D. L., & Hansen, P. D. (1997). Age-related differences in performance of stereotype arm movements: movement and posture interaction. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, 57(1), 49–57. https://doi.org/10.55782/ane-1....
9.
Błaszczyk, J. W., Prince, F., Raiche, M., & Hébert, R. (2000). Effect of ageing and vision on limb load asymmetry during quiet stance. Journal of Biomechanics, 33(10), 1243–1248. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-....
10.
Błaszczyk, J. W., & Klonowski, W. (2001). Postural stability and fractal dynamics. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, 61(2), 105–112. https://doi.org/10.55782/ane-2....
11.
Błaszczyk J. W. (2008). Sway ratio - a new measure for quantifying postural stability. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, 68(1), 51–57. https://doi.org/10.55782/ane-2....
12.
Błaszczyk, J. W., Beck, M., &Sadowska, D. (2014). Assessment of postural stability in young healthy subjects based on directional features of posturographic data: vision and gender effects. Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis, 74(4), 433–442. https://doi.org/10.55782/ane-2....
13.
Błaszczyk J. W. (2016). The use of force-plate posturography in the assessment of postural instability. Gait & Posture, 44, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gait....
14.
Błaszczyk, J. W., Beck, M., Szczepańska, J., Sadowska, D., Bacik, B., Juras, G., & Słomka, K. J. (2016). Directional measures of postural sway as predictors of balance instability and accidental falls. Journal of Human Kinetics, 52, 75–83. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-....
15.
Błaszczyk, J. W., Fredyk, A., Błaszczyk, P. M., &Ashtiani, M. (2020). Step Response of Human Motor System as a Measure of Postural Stability in Children. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 28(4), 895–903. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.....
16.
Błaszczyk, J. W., & Fredyk, A. (2021). Maturation of the postural control in adolescent girls: A 3-year follow-up study. Gait & Posture, 83, 300–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gait....
17.
Błaszczyk, J. W., & Beck, M. (2023). Posturographic Standards for Optimal Control of Human Standing Posture. Journal of Human Kinetics, 86, 7–15. https://doi.org/10.5114/jhk/15....
18.
Boonstra, T. A., Schouten, A. C., & van der Kooij, H. (2013). Identification of the contribution of the ankle and hip joints to multi-segmental balance control. Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 10, 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0....
19.
Chiari, L., Rocchi, L., & Cappello, A. (2002). Stabilometric parameters are affected by anthropometry and foot placement. Clinical Biomechanics (Bristol, Avon), 17(9–10), 666–677. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0268-....
20.
Conforto, S., Schmid, M., Camomilla, V., D'Alessio, T., &Cappozzo, A. (2001). Hemodynamics as a possible internal mechanical disturbance to balance. Gait & Posture, 14(1), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0966-....
21.
Dakin, C. J., & Rosenberg, A. (2018). Gravity estimation and verticality perception. Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 159, 43–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0....
22.
Dessery, Y., Barbier, F., Gillet, C., & Corbeil, P. (2011). Does lower limb preference influence gait initiation?. Gait & Posture, 33(4), 550–555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gait....
23.
Gage, W. H., Winter, D. A., Frank, J. S., & Adkin, A. L. (2004). Kinematic and kinetic validity of the inverted pendulum model in quiet standing. Gait & Posture, 19(2), 124–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0966-....
24.
Gutnik, B., Leaver, J., Standen, C., & Longley, C. (2008). Inferred influence of human lateral profile on limb load asymmetry during a quiet standing balance test. Acta Medica Okayama, 62(3), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.18926/AMO/3....
25.
Héroux, M. E., Dakin, C. J., Luu, B. L., Inglis, J. T., & Blouin, J. S. (2014). Absence of lateral gastrocnemius activity and differential motor unit behavior in soleus and medial gastrocnemius during standing balance. Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 116(2), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplp....
26.
Hettich, G., Assländer, L., Gollhofer, A., &Mergner, T. (2014). Human hip-ankle coordination emerging from multisensory feedback control. Human Movement Science, 37, 123–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humo....
27.
Hue, O., Simoneau, M., Marcotte, J., Berrigan, F., Doré, J., Marceau, P., Marceau, S., Tremblay, A., & Teasdale, N. (2007). Body weight is a strong predictor of postural stability. Gait & Posture, 26(1), 32–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gait....
28.
Kennedy, M. W., Bretl, T., & Schmiedeler, J. P. (2014). Interpreting lateral dynamic weight shifts using a simple inverted pendulum model. Gait & Posture, 40(1), 134–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gait....
29.
Ku, P. X., Abu Osman, N. A., Yusof, A., & Wan Abas, W. A. (2012). Biomechanical evaluation of the relationship between postural control and body mass index. Journal of Biomechanics, 45(9), 1638–1642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbio....
30.
Kuznetsov, N. A., & Riley, M. A. (2012). Effects of breathing on multijoint control of center of mass position during upright stance. Journal of Motor Behavior, 44(4), 241–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/002228....
31.
Lakie, M., Caplan, N., & Loram, I. D. (2003). Human balancing of an inverted pendulum with a compliant linkage: neural control by anticipatory intermittent bias. Journal of Physiology, 551(Pt 1), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysi....
32.
Loram, I. D., Kelly, S. M., &Lakie, M. (2001). Human balancing of an inverted pendulum: is sway size controlled by ankle impedance?. Journal of Physiology, 532(Pt 3), 879–891. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469....
33.
Loram, I. D., & Lakie, M. (2002). Direct measurement of human ankle stiffness during quiet standing: the intrinsic mechanical stiffness is insufficient for stability. Journal of Physiology, 545(3), 1041–1053. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysi....
34.
Masani, K., Popovic, M. R., Nakazawa, K., Kouzaki, M., & Nozaki, D. (2003). Importance of body sway velocity information in controlling ankle extensor activities during quiet stance. Journal of Neurophysiology, 90(6), 3774–3782. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.007....
35.
Massion J. (1998). Postural control systems in developmental perspective. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 22(4), 465–472. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0149-....
36.
Merfeld, D. M., Zupan, L., & Peterka, R. J. (1999). Humans use internal models to estimate gravity and linear acceleration. Nature, 398(6728), 615–618. https://doi.org/10.1038/19303.
37.
Mergner, T., Maurer, C., & Peterka, R. J. (2003). A multisensory posture control model of human upright stance. Progress in Brain Research, 142, 189–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-....
38.
Morasso, P., Cherif, A., & Zenzeri, J. (2019). Quiet standing: The Single Inverted Pendulum model is not so bad after all. PloS One, 14(3), e0213870. https://doi.org/10.1371/journa....
39.
Najafabadi, S. M., Ashtiani, M. N., Zagrodny, B., & Grzelczyk, D. (2025). Examining the Impact of Visual Perturbation Caused by Virtual Reality on Postural Stability. Journal of Human Kinetics, 99, 43–54. https://doi.org/10.5114/jhk/19....
40.
Nomura, T., Oshikawa, S., Suzuki, Y., Kiyono, K., & Morasso, P. (2013). Modeling human postural sway using an intermittent control and hemodynamic perturbations. Mathematical Biosciences, 245(1), 86–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mbs.....
41.
de Oliveira J. M. (2017). Statokinesigram normalization method. Behavior Research Methods, 49(1), 310–317. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428....
42.
Peng, D., Tang, H., Mao, M., Song, Q., Mao, D., Wang, J., & Sun, W. (2024). Correlations of strength, proprioception, and dynamic balance to the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool Score among patients with chronic ankle instability: a cross-sectional study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 25(1), 970. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891....
43.
Proske U. (2015). The role of muscle proprioceptors in human limb position sense: a hypothesis. Journal of anatomy, 227(2), 178–183. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12....
44.
Prosperini, L., Fortuna, D., Giannì, C., Leonardi, L., & Pozzilli, C. (2013). The diagnostic accuracy of static posturography in predicting accidental falls in people with multiple sclerosis. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 27(1), 45–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/154596....
45.
Qu, X., Nussbaum, M. A., & Madigan, M. L. (2007). A balance control model of quiet upright stance based on an optimal control strategy. Journal of Biomechanics, 40(16), 3590–3597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbio....
46.
Winter, D. A., Patla, A. E., Rietdyk, S., & Ishac, M. G. (2001). Ankle muscle stiffness in the control of balance during quiet standing. Journal of Neurophysiology, 85(6), 2630–2633. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.200....
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| eISSN: | 1899-7562 |
| ISSN: | 1640-5544 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
