Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Brain Sciences
Author ORCID Identifier
David A. E. Bolton https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2255-5472
Sara A. Harper https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6584-179X
Volume
13
Issue
10
Publisher
MDPI AG
Publication Date
10-21-2023
First Page
1
Last Page
11
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Abstract
Stepping to recover balance is an important way we avoid falling. However, when faced with obstacles in the step path, we must adapt such reactions. Physical obstructions are typically detected through vision, which then cues step modification. The present study describes a novel method to assess visually prompted step inhibition in a reactive balance context. In our task, participants recovered balance by quickly stepping after being released from a supported forward lean. On rare trials, however, an obstacle blocked the stepping path. The timing of vision relative to postural perturbation was controlled using occlusion goggles to regulate task difficulty. Furthermore, we explored step suppression in our balance task related to inhibitory capacity measured at the hand using a clinically feasible handheld device (ReacStick). Our results showed that ReacStick and step outcomes were significantly correlated in terms of successful inhibition (r = 0.57) and overall reaction accuracy (r = 0.76). This study presents a novel method for assessing rapid inhibition in a dynamic postural context, a capacity that appears to be a necessary prerequisite to a subsequent adaptive strategy. Moreover, this capacity is significantly related to ReacStick performance, suggesting a potential clinical translation.
Recommended Citation
Bolton, D.A.E.; Baggett, C.C., IV; Mitton, C.A.; Harper, S.A.; Richardson, J.K. Suppressing a Blocked Balance Recovery Step: A Novel Method to Assess an Inhibitory Postural Response. Brain Sci. 2023, 13, 1488. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13101488
