Support surface thrust vector dynamics in response to voluntary arm movements: implications for models of postural control

摘要

The control of posture is often discussed with reference to the combined effect of resistive inertial forces and gravitational forces. Together these forces define the gravitoinertial force vector. When the body is in contact with a surface of support, posture is said to be controlled so that the body's center of mass is aligned as closely as possible to the direction of this vector. A description of this context in terms of attractor dynamics has posutre being controlled with respect to a point attractor, an effort to attain a state of unstable equilibrium coincident with the direction of the gravitoinertial force vector. Any deviation of the center of mass from an alignment with the gravitoinertial force vector subjects the body to accelerative forces.