Footedness exploited as a function of postural task asymmetry

Abstract

The functional aspects of footedness were investigated in different upright postures that varied in the degree of asymmetry of the task demands: side-by-side quiet stance, single foot quiet stance, and single foot circular tracing task. The results showed that the effect of footedness was task context specific: the bilateral quiet stance showed no footedness effect; the single foot stance partially revealed a stabilising and mobilising foot functional difference; whereas the tracing task provided stronger evidence for a foot preference effect. The footedness effect was more prominent on the spatial orientation of the centre of pressure motion in contrast to its variability. These findings on the exploitation of footedness as a function of task asymmetry parallel the findings of the differential roles of the dominant (manipulation) and non-dominant (stabilisation) hands in upper-limbs.

Keywords:

• Footedness
• Postural control
• Task asymmetry
• Centre of pressure