This article investigates the oscillations of body posture before and after physical activity with eyes open and closed. The paper analyses visual perception of the surroundings and what impact it has on body balance stability

A. Kilikevicius

D. Višinskiene

J. Griškevicius

P. Tamošauskas

V. Morkuniene

English

Journal of Vibroengineering

  
 VIBROENGINEERING. JOURNAL OF VIBROENGINEERING. DECEMBER 2011. VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4. ISSN 1392-8716 
850 
701. Physiological factors in the stability of body posture 
 
A. Kilikevičius1, J. Griškevičius2, P. Tamošauskas3, V. Morkūnienė4, D. Višinskienė5 
1, 2
 Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Department of Machine Building 
J. Basanavičiaus str. 28, LT-03224 Vilnius, Lithuania 
3, 4, 5 Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Department of Physical Training 
Saulėtekio al. 28, LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania 
E-mail: 1akilikevicius@gmail.com,2 julius.griskevicius@vgtu.lt, 3 hinst@vgtu.lt, 4valdakind@gmail.com,   
5
 hinst@vgtu.lt 
 
(Received 3September 2011; accepted 4 December 2011) 
 
Abstract. This article investigates the oscillations of body posture before and after physical 
activity with eyes open and closed. The paper analyses visual perception of the surroundings 
and what impact it has on body balance stability. 
 
Keywords: body posture, physiological factors, accelerometer. 
 
Introduction 
 
Maintaining and ensuring proper body orientation rest on the interaction of skeletal muscles 
and nervous system. The components of the skeletal muscles, determining balance stability, are 
the amplitude of motion, flexibility of spine, mechanical muscular characteristics and 
biomechanical brain correlation [1-3].  
Balance is governed by physiological factors, balance organs (cerebellum, inner ear), 
muscular receptors (Golgi apparatus, spindle; spindles react to stretching, Golgi apparatus to 
pressure) and vision. Balance is stabilized using visual, vestibular and proprioreceptive 
information. Optimal interaction of vision and somatosensory impulses enables appropriate 
control of body segment orientation and stability. Lack of visual information disturbs the 
control of balance, body segment position and reaction to the surroundings. The significance of 
balance and movement control gains much more importance in older age and in people having 
suffered or suffering from nervous system diseases (especially stroke). In those cases 
deterioration or complete loss of skeletal muscle coordination and general body balance is 
especially noticeable. This results in aggravated bio-psychosocial functions and adaptation in 
surrounding environment and society. 
The sensory system is actively involved in the control of the motor: it regulates the guidance 
of movement, is engaged in perception of the environment and movements and fulfils the role 
of a stimulus for the reflex movements. Vision identifies objects and their movement in the 
environment, providing with information on the latter, as well as on the position of body 
segments and movement of the surroundings with respect to other body parts. The same 
information is also received by other sensory organs – balance apparatus in the inner ear, 
muscular spindles, Golgi body and joint capsule receptors. Nevertheless, people devoid of 
vision impairment while moving in space mostly use afferent vision impulses. Having 
encountered vision impairment motor body reactions are being controlled by information 
received from tactile, aural or other senses, whereas for people with normal vision this kind of 
information is only supplementary. Compared with visual, the role of proprioreceptive 
information in controlling psychomotor functions and stability of people with normal vision is 
only minimal. Still, with diminishing or disappearing visual information, the lack of it in 
regulating balance can be compensated by strengthened proprioreceptive, tactile and aural 
function, which can be evoked by the method of general as well as special physical practice. All 
the information received by the receptors is administered by the central nervous system, sending 
nervous impulses to muscles which by contracting and relaxing in turn help to maintain the 
balance [1]. 
 701. PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN THE STABILITY OF BODY POSTURE 
A. KILIKEVIČIUS, J. GRIŠKEVIČIUS, P. TAMOŠAUSKAS, V. MORKŪNIENĖ, D. VIŠINSKIENĖ 
 
 
 VIBROENGINEERING. JOURNAL OF VIBROENGINEERING. DECEMBER 2011. VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4. ISSN 1392-8716 
851 
For many years balance exercises were recommended for rehabilitation. Now it’s 
increasingly practiced as preventive measure to avoid injuries. Therefore, especially what 
regards elderly people, early balance disorder diagnosis and detection of its onset is very 
important to functional balance disorder slowdown and fall prevention. The most frequent cause 
of falls, bone fractures and various workplace and home injuries is balance and coordination 
disorder. When balance is interrupted, reactions restoring body to its primary position manifest 
themselves. It is claimed that the main balance stabilizing component is the position of human 
general centre of mass (GCM) coordinate. It has been identified that when balance is 
interrupted “the kinematic strategy” switches on and with the help of it the position of body 
segments changes. This stimulates movement of body GCM and allows maintaining it in the 
boundaries of the support plane [1, 4]. 
Central vision enables to identify the surrounding objects, parts of the body and their 
parameters. Peripheral vision enables to identify the changes in the position of objects and parts 
of the body reciprocally providing with consciously intangible and inapprehensible information, 
which is of great importance in motor control. Central and peripheral vision interacts in balance 
control. Peripheral vision has a greater impact on oscillation forward/backwards than on 
left/right. Whereas central vision participates in oscillation control of both motion modes. 
Therefore, many authors [5], investigating the impact of vision on balance control, maintain that 
balance control while standing is the most significantly influenced by central vision. Any 
disorder of central vision results in stronger lateral oscillations [6].  
Movement, coordination, movement control, agility disorders as well as dizziness, fainting 
(loss of consciousness) have brought about analysis of human body balance control. Over the 
time there have been many different physical and movement disorder classifications presented. 
Most often they are referred to as physical, orthopedic, or less so as motor or movement 
disorders. In Lithuania as to disorder classification (1995), group seven consists of physical and 
motor impairments. This classification constitutes the following disorder groups: 
a) general motor disorder of skills; 
b) minor motor disorders; 
c) movement coordination disorders; 
d) movement disorder that could range from minor irregularity to inability to move; 
e) apraxia and dyspraxia (partial loss of the ability to coordinate and perform certain 
purposeful movements and gestures in the absence of motor or sensory impairments such as 
paralysis); 
f) scoliosis (medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side); 
g) deformations of parts of a body); 
h) other physical and motor impairments. 
The most common general term used in literature is physical health problems. Physical and 
motor impairment can be determined by orthopedic (locomotor system disorders, bone, 
muscular function disorders) neurological (CNS and PNS disorders), chronic diseases, 
conditions determining disability etc [1]. 
Conditions attributed to locomotor dysfunction: bone fractures, osteitis, panosteitis, 
inflammation of bone, growth interruptions and bone anomalies, osteoporosis, cartilage 
ossification, bone marrow diseases, osteopathic disorders, rib, bone disorders, cranium, head 
bone injuries, arthritis, joint inflammation, rheumatic arthritis, muscle inflammation and 
atrophy, myalgia, other muscular disorders, paralysis, cerebral paralysis, mobility balance 
disorder, amyortophy, myotrophy, muscular fibre tear, stroke, heart attack. 
In literature factors determining physical and mobility disorder are as follows: 
1. Prenatal chromosome pathology (Down syndrome, Turner syndrome or dwarfism, Apert 
syndrome, RETT syndrome etc.); 
2. Prenatal fibre deficiency (lip and palate deformities, limb underdevelopment, other 
congenital body parts deformities); 
 701. PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN THE STABILITY OF BODY POSTURE 
A. KILIKEVIČIUS, J. GRIŠKEVIČIUS, P. TAMOŠAUSKAS, V. MORKŪNIENĖ, D. VIŠINSKIENĖ 
 
 
 VIBROENGINEERING. JOURNAL OF VIBROENGINEERING. DECEMBER 2011. VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4. ISSN 1392-8716 
852 
3. Intrauterine factors (infection, radiation, rhesus factor and other adverse elements); 
4. Perinatal trauma or infection (oxygen deficiency, haemorrhage); 
5. Postnatal trauma, infections, disorders (chronic diseases, limb loss and etc.). 
Any weakened balance component function results in deteriorating stability and disturbed 
gait in people undergoing aging process (Gauchard, 2003). Mobility impairments can also occur 
in children, and often they single out from other children of their age in different physical 
development. They cannot move normally, their movements are uncoordinated, balance is 
disturbed. The bigger the limitation, the more conspicuous it is. Those are disabled children. 
Balance disorders can accompany people from different age groups [7, 8]. Therefore, early 
balance disorder diagnosis and detection is important to both older age people and children 
alike. In case of the former, the aim is to slow down functional mobility deterioration and for 
the latter the focus is to bring to full recovery and integrate such a child into normal social life. 
 
Experimental test 
 
The purpose of experimental tests is to evaluate and compare the parameters of static 
balance in healthy adults (20-25 year-olds) before and after physical activity. 
The test was carried out using “Bruel & Kjaer” measuring equipment: three seismic 
(uniaxial) accelerometers 8344, which traced the oscillation amplitude of human centre of mass 
for the axes X, Y and Z. Technical characteristics of the accelerometer 8344 is as follows: 
sensitivity 250±20% mV/ms–2, measure range ±26 ms–2, frequency range 0,2–3000 Hz.  During 
the test portable computer with special software package “Pulse”, electrical signal input and 
processing device 3660-D was used. 
 
 
Fig. 1. Linear dependence on heart rate of amplitude of oscillation forward/backwards before physical 
activity with eyes opened/closed 
 
 In Fig. 1 straight line represents linear dependence of amplitude of oscillation on heart rate 
forward/backwards before physical activity with eyes opened. Dotted line represents linear 
dependence of amplitude of oscillation on heart rate forward/backwards before physical activity 
with eyes closed. It has been noticed that the amplitude of oscillation before physical activity 
with eyes opened, rises up with higher heart rate, i.e., the higher the heart rate, the greater is the 
amplitude of oscillation. Whereas the amplitude of oscillation before physical activity with eyes 
closed with increased heart rate stays steady. 
In Fig. 2 straight line represents linear dependence of amplitude of oscillation on heart rate 
forward/backwards after physical activity with eyes opened. Dotted line represents linear 
dependence of amplitude of oscillation on heart rate forward/backwards after physical activity 
with eyes closed. It has been noticed that amplitude of oscillation after physical activity with 
 701. PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN THE STABILITY OF BODY POSTURE 
A. KILIKEVIČIUS, J. GRIŠKEVIČIUS, P. TAMOŠAUSKAS, V. MORKŪNIENĖ, D. VIŠINSKIENĖ 
 
 
 VIBROENGINEERING. JOURNAL OF VIBROENGINEERING. DECEMBER 2011. VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4. ISSN 1392-8716 
853 
eyes opened, rises up with higher heart rate, i.e., the higher the heart rate, the greater is the 
amplitude of oscillation. Whereas the amplitude of oscillation after physical activity with eyes 
closed with increased heart rate recedes, i.e., the higher the heart rate, the lesser is the amplitude 
of oscillation. 
 
 
Fig. 2. Linear dependence of amplitude of oscillation on heart rate forward/backwards after physical 
activity with eyes opened/closed 
 
After comparing Fig. 1 and 2 it has been observed that the amplitude of oscillation 
forward/backwards before and after physical activity with eyes opened, rises with higher heart 
rate, i.e., the higher the heart rate, the greater is the amplitude of oscillation. Meanwhile 
amplitude of oscillation forward/backwards before and after physical activity with eyes closed 
with higher heart rate slightly decreases. 
In Fig. 3 straight line represents linear dependence of lateral amplitude of oscillation on 
heart rate before physical activity with eyes opened. Dotted line represents linear dependence of 
lateral amplitude of oscillation on heart rate before physical activity with eyes closed. It has 
been noticed that lateral amplitude of oscillation before physical activity with eyes opened and 
closed, rises up with higher heart rate, i.e., the higher the heart rate, the greater is the amplitude 
of oscillation.  
 
 
Fig. 3. Linear dependence of lateral amplitude of oscillation on heart rate before physical activity with 
eyes opened/closed 
 
In Fig. 4 straight line represents linear dependence of lateral amplitude of oscillation on 
heart rate after physical activity with eyes opened. Dotted line represents linear dependence of 
 701. PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN THE STABILITY OF BODY POSTURE 
A. KILIKEVIČIUS, J. GRIŠKEVIČIUS, P. TAMOŠAUSKAS, V. MORKŪNIENĖ, D. VIŠINSKIENĖ 
 
 
 VIBROENGINEERING. JOURNAL OF VIBROENGINEERING. DECEMBER 2011. VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4. ISSN 1392-8716 
854 
lateral amplitude of oscillation on heart rate after physical activity with eyes closed. It has been 
observed that lateral amplitude of oscillation after physical activity with eyes opened and 
closed, rises up with higher heart rate, i.e., the higher the heart rate, the greater is the amplitude 
of oscillation. 
 
 
Fig. 4. Linear dependence of lateral amplitude of oscillation on heart rate after physical activity with eyes 
opened/closed 
 
After comparing Fig. 3 and 4 it has been observed that lateral amplitude of oscillation before 
physical activity with eyes closed and raised pulse is 23% higher than with eyes opened. The 
same goes with amplitude of oscillation after physical activity when with higher heart rate the 
amplitude of oscillation rises by 30%. 
 
Conclusions 
 
Physical activity affects human body balance. During it the internal stability (homeostasis) 
of the human body changes and because of that it has to adapt: in order to function properly, its 
various functions and structures have to adjust to psychophysical load and it results in higher 
amplitude of oscillation after physical activity. The research has revealed that: 
1. After analyzing the amplitude of oscillation forward/backwards before and after physical 
activity with eyes opened/closed, it can be stated that the visual perception of the surroundings 
has an impact on person’s balance stability as testing balance with eyes closed, the amplitude of 
oscillation has risen. The average increase in forward/backwards amplitude before physical 
activity (with eyes opened/closed) is 1,5 times and after physical activity it is 2,5 times.  
2. With eyes closed, the average of amplitude of oscillation sideways before physical activity 
was 0,0039 m and after physical activity it was 0,0044 m. When comparing the amplitude of 
oscillation sideways with eyes closed before and after physical activity it can be observed that 
the amplitude of oscillation after physical activity with eyes closed has increased by 11,37%. 
Comparing the amplitude of oscillation sideways before and after physical activity with eyes 
opened and the amplitude of oscillation sideways before and after physical activity with eyes 
closed, it has been noticed that the amplitude of oscillation sideways before and after physical 
activity with eyes opened has doubled.   
 
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Physiological factors in the stability of body posture

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Physiological factors in the stability of body posture

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