The effect of hypergravity on upright balance and voluntary sway

Abstract

A nonparallel leg model of balance, the engaged leg model (ELM), was previously developed to characterize adaptive balance control in a rotating environment. Here we show the ELM also explains sway in hypergravity. It predicts the changes in balance control parameters with changes in gravity. ELM is currently the only balance model applicable to artificial and hypergravity conditions. ELM can also be applied to terrestrial clinical situations for pathologies that generate postural asymmetries.