Center of Gravity

— point around which a body’s mass (or weight) is equally balanced in all directions

Base of support:

— area bound by the outermost regions of contact between a body and the support surface

Low stability:
— when COG nears edge of base of support

Fall:

— when COG moves outside of the base of support

How to Increase Stability

  1. Increase Body Mass

— limited application, but increase in lean body mass/strength (core and stabilizing muscles) key for stability (especially in aging individuals)

  1. Increase the size/shape of the base of the support

— add more points of contact

  1. Change COM position

— position the COM/COG closer to the oncoming force

Laboratory Equipment

  1. Force Plate

— measures force in 3 cardinal planes

  • specifically measures ground reaction forces

  1. Motion Capture System

— infrared cameras and reflective markers placed on a subject that allow the measurements of movement and calculation of internal forces when used in conjunction with a force plate

  1. Instrumented Treadmill

— treadmill with force plates to provide data for every walking or running foot strike