The role of plantar-surface mechanoreception in dynamic balance

这个研究项目的总体目标是研究从脚底获得(神经活动)感觉信息的机制，以及如何利用它来产生运动过程中的功能平衡反应。以前的研究主要集中在站立或行走时的平衡控制，并表明脚底的感觉在动态平衡控制中起着重要作用。本课程将研究水平行走和不安行走中脚底感觉的作用，例如意外停下来或在不平坦的表面上行走。研究环境允许生物力学评估与神经和肌肉活动记录之间的新的交互作用。在这些情况下测量肌肉和神经活动、压力和全身运动将为动态平衡控制策略和神经信号传输提供以前未被探索的贡献。实验收集的数据将与先进的数学模型一起使用，以进一步了解脚底感觉在产生动态平衡反应中的作用。这种预测性建模可能能够确定足部不知症患者失去平衡的潜在风险。长期目标包括有助于理解脚底感觉在动态情况下的作用，并可能有助于环境因素(如鞋类、地板和鞋垫)的设计，这些因素直接或间接涉及脚底感觉。

The general objective of this research program is to investigate the mechanisms involved in realizing (neural activity) sensory information from the bottom of the feet and then how it is utilized in producing functional balance reactions during locomotion. Previous research has focused upon balance control during standing or stepping and has shown that sensation form the bottom of the feet plays an important role in dynamic balance control. This program will examine the role of sensation from the bottom of the feet during level walking and perturbed walking, such as unexpected stopping or walking over uneven surfaces. The reseach environment permits the novel interaction between biomechanical assessment and recordings of neural and muscle activity. Measurement of muscle and neural activity, pressure and whole-body motion during these conditions will provide previously unexplored contributions of this sensation to dynamic balance control strategies and neural signal transmission. Experimentally collected data will be used with an advanced mathematical model to gain further insight into the role of sensation form the bottom of the feet in producing dynamic balance reactions. This predictive modeling may be able to determine the potential risk of loss of balance of an individual with foot insentivity. The long term objectives include contributions to the understanding of the role of sensation from the bottom of the feet during dynamic situations and potentially to the design of environmental factors (e.g. footwear, flooring and insoles) that involve, either directly or indirectly, foot sole sensation.