Extraction of Traditional COP-Based Features from COM Sway in Postural Stability Evaluation.

Postural control during quiet standing is traditionally evaluated by analyzing CoP sway measured by using a force platform. However, recent proliferation of motion tracking systems made available an estimate of the CoM location. Traditional CoP-based measures presented in literature provide information about age-related changes in postural stability and fall risk. We investigated, on an age-matched group of subjects, the relationship between classical CoP-based measures computed on sway path and statistical mechanics parameters on diffusion plot, with those extracted from CoM time-series. Our purpose is to understand which of these parameters, computed from CoM sway, can discriminate postural abnormalities, in order to use a video tracking system to evaluate balance in addition to motor capabilities.