The role of plantar-surface mechanoreception in dynamic balance

本研究计划的总体目标是研究从脚底实现（神经活动）感觉信息的机制，然后如何利用它在运动过程中产生功能平衡反应。以往的研究主要集中在站立或行走时的平衡控制，并表明来自脚底的感觉在动态平衡控制中起着重要作用。这个程序将检查从脚底的感觉在水平行走和不安的行走，如意外停止或行走在不平坦的表面的作用。研究环境允许生物力学评估和神经和肌肉活动记录之间的新相互作用。在这些条件下测量肌肉和神经活动，压力和全身运动将提供这种感觉对动态平衡控制策略和神经信号传递的先前未被探索的贡献。实验收集的数据将与一个先进的数学模型一起使用，以进一步了解来自脚底的感觉在产生动态平衡反应中的作用。这种预测模型可以确定一个脚不敏感的人失去平衡的潜在风险。长期目标包括有助于理解在动态情况下来自脚底的感觉的作用，并可能有助于设计直接或间接涉及脚底感觉的环境因素（例如鞋类，地板和鞋垫）。

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.