Does footedness or hemispheric visual asymmetry influence centre of pressure displacements?

Abstract

To isolate the footedness contribution from the hemispheric visual asymmetry contribution to the upright postural control, seven right and six left-footed healthy women were asked to balance on each unipodal stance on an unstable platform for each visual hemispaces. We compared lateral deviations of the centre of pressure when balancing on the left leg and on the right leg in three visual conditions: normal and restricted to each hemifields. Whatever the visual conditions, left-footers displaced the centre of pressure towards the outside of the supporting foot, whereas right-footers displaced it towards the right side for the two feet. Postural control appears to be regulated differently between the two groups of footedness. For left-footers it should be more based upon the perception of the centre of body mass and for right-footers upon the asymmetrical utilization of head receptors.