TITLE:
Human Postural Adaptation to Earthly and Atypical Gravitational Environment Effects of Sport Training on Stabilometric Parameters
AUTHORS:
Luisa Pizzigalli, Margherita Micheletti Cremasco, Elena Cremona, Alberto Rainoldi
KEYWORDS:
Human Posture; Postural Memory; Environmental Adaptations; Athletes
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Anthropology,
Vol.3 No.4,
November
28,
2013
ABSTRACT: Earthly gravitational
environment has been conditioned organisms evolutional transformations. Mankind
evolution in acquiring the upright posture changed functional anatomical
characteristics behaved in an almost stable environment (g = 9.81 m/s). Technological environment, up to the microgravity
conditions, faces peculiar gravitational conditions that may affect locomotion,
working capabilities and living situation. To understand human adapting
capacities, some systematic knowledge may come from the study of trained
persons such as those practising sports in different postures and environments. The aims of this study are
to investigate
whether long-term practice of a physical activity, in which body attitude and
postural regulation are organized in different ways, can influence postural
control and generate a “postural memory”. Three groups of male athletes
(average age: 22 ± 3 years, weight: 69 ± 9 kg, height:
179.6 ± 5.5 cm) were studied in 26 athletes (runners, bikers and swimmers).
The protocol consisted of balance tests with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC) in
bipodalic and monopodalic conditions. Bikers showed a mean velocity lower than
swimmers both in EO (p = .004) and EC
condition (p = .03). Also for mean velocity in M-L plane (p = .02) and for perimeter length (p = .003) during EO condition, bikers showed lower results.
Moreover, bikers showed a more posterior position of the centre of pressure
when compared to runners with EO (p =
.02) and with EC (p = .03). These
findings suggested that sport-specific physical training induce postural
modifications on upright stance. Within the main results concerning the
gravitational aspects appears paramount that swimming, the most 0 g sport
(water is the best terrestrial 0 g simulator environment) gives the smallest
postural memory conditioning. The studies about human postural control in normal condition, about postural
modifications and memory induced by specific physical training in normal versus atypical gravitation setting, open a new perspective in
anthropological studies on postural adaptations, ability and performance in
extreme environments.