Gait & Posture
Volume 31, Issue 2 , Pages 265-271, February 2010

Changes in standing postural control during acquisition of a sequential reaching task

  • Anne K. Galgon

      Affiliations

    • Rehabilitation Science Research Lab, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
    • ,
  • Patricia A. Shewokis

      Affiliations

    • Rehabilitation Science Research Lab, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
    • School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: 245 N. 15th St., MS 1030, College of Nursing and Health Professions & School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19102, United States. Tel.: +1 215 762 4442; fax: +1 215 762 4080.
    • ,
  • Carole A. Tucker

      Affiliations

    • Department of Physical Therapy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Received 10 February 2009; received in revised form 9 October 2009; accepted 4 November 2009. published online 04 December 2009.

Abstract 

Postural control acquired during learning functional reaching movements has not been well examined. Fourteen healthy adults practiced a serial reaching task 300 times. Task acquisition was examined considering two types of action-goals [1]: hand accuracy and consistency as the focal action-goals and control of equilibrium as the postural action-goal . Hand accuracy and consistency were measured as absolute constant error and variable error. Postural control was measured by time to boundary (TtB). Improvements were expected in the focal goals and postural goal; however the timing of improvements might reflect explicit and implicit learning processes. Practice effects resulted in improvements for hand task accuracy, consistency and an increase in TtB values. Changes in postural control may reflect improved efficiency or improved perception-action coupling by the postural system within task performance.

Keywords: Reaching, Postural control, Movement strategies, Time to boundary, Motor learning

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PII: S0966-6362(09)00654-7

doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2009.11.002

Gait & Posture
Volume 31, Issue 2 , Pages 265-271, February 2010

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