Disrupted somatosensory input alters postural control strategies during the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) in healthy people.
Shojiro Nozu, Kristin A Johnson, Masahiro Takemura and 1 others
PMID 34481264WHAT IT FOUND
Standing on foam during a balance test reduced reach distance by 4.58% and shifted body weight laterally.
This mimics chronic ankle instability patterns. Clinicians should assess movement quality, not just distance, as foam alters biomechanics significantly.
Key findings
01Participants reached significantly shorter when standing on a foam pad compared to a hard surface.
02Disrupted somatosensory input caused distinct changes in joint angles, center of mass, and center of pressure, including greater knee flexion and more lateral weight bearing.
03The magnitude of reach loss and movement changes in healthy people on foam resembles patterns seen in patients with chronic ankle instability.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study used healthy participants, so findings are speculative for those with actual ankle pathology. Foam changes mechanical forces, so observed differences may not be solely due to somatosensory disruption. Small sample size limits the ability to determine clinically important changes in movement strategy.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a reduced reach distance on foam indicates pathology. This study shows that healthy people alter their entire movement strategy to compensate for the unstable surface, so distance alone is a poor measure of function.