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PloS one2019; 14(2); e0211834; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211834

Balance control during stance – A comparison between horseback riding athletes and non-athletes.

Abstract: Horseback riding requires the ability to adapt to changes in balance conditions, to maintain equilibrium on the horse and to prevent falls. Postural adaptation involves specific sensorimotor processes integrating visual information and somesthesic information. The objective of this study was to examine this multisensorial integration on postural control, especially the use of visual and plantar information in static (stable) and dynamic (unstable) postures, among a group of expert horse rider women (n = 10) and a group of non-athlete women (n = 12). Postural control was evaluated through the center of pressure measured with a force platform on stable and unstable supports, with the eyes open and the eyes closed, and with the presence of foam on the support or not. Results showed that expert horse rider women had a better postural stability with unstable support in the mediolateral axis compared to non-athletes. Moreover, on the anteroposterior axis, expert horse riders were less visual dependent and more stable in the presence of foam. Results suggested that horseback riding could help developing particular proprioceptive abilities on standing posture as well as better postural muscle tone during particular bipodal dynamic perturbations. These outcomes provide new insights into horseback riding assets and methodological clues to assess the impact of sport practice.
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Publication Date: 2019-02-05 PubMed ID: 30721260PubMed Central: PMC6363218DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211834Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research study compares balance control in horseback riding women athletes and non-athlete women. It explores how multisensory integration affects postural control, particularly the use of visual and plantar (sole of the foot) information in stable and unstable postures.

Objective and Methodology

  • The study was set out to understand how multisensorial integration impacts postural control. This was conducted by comparing balance conditions between horse-riding athletes and non-athletes.
  • The total subjects for the research were twenty-two women, out of which ten were expert horse riders, and twelve were non-athletes.
  • The participants’ postural control was evaluated by measuring the center of pressure using a force platform. Two types of supports, stable and unstable, were tested. The tests were conducted under different conditions: with eyes open or closed, with and without foam on the platform.

Findings

  • The research found that the horse-riding athletes displayed better postural stability on an unstable support along the mediolateral axis (horizontal axis running from left to right) compared to the non-athletes.
  • On the anteroposterior axis (vertical axis running from front to back), the expert riders were found to be less dependent on visual cues and displayed more stability with the presence of foam on the platform. This suggests that these athletes have a better reliance on their somatosensory (bodily senses) system for balance control.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The observed difference in balance control suggests that horseback riding can cultivate specific proprioceptive abilities (being aware of and controlling the movement and position of our body parts) related to standing posture.
  • Moreover, it seems that these athletes possess better postural muscle tone which allows them to manage more effectively certain bipodal (two-footed) dynamic disturbances.
  • The results shed light on the benefits of horseback riding and provide possible methodology pointers to evaluate the impact of sport practice on balance control capabilities.

Cite This Article

APA
Olivier A, Viseu JP, Vignais N, Vuillerme N. (2019). Balance control during stance – A comparison between horseback riding athletes and non-athletes. PLoS One, 14(2), e0211834. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211834

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
Pages: e0211834
PII: e0211834

Researcher Affiliations

Olivier, Agnès
  • CIAMS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France.
  • CIAMS, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France.
  • Groupe Voltaire-Forestier Sellier, Bidart, France.
Viseu, Jean-Philippe
  • CIAMS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France.
  • CIAMS, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France.
Vignais, Nicolas
  • CIAMS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France.
  • CIAMS, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France.
Vuillerme, Nicolas
  • AGEIS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.
  • Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.

MeSH Terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Athletes
  • Female
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Postural Balance / physiology
  • Posture / physiology
  • Proprioception / physiology

Conflict of Interest Statement

The ‘Groupe Voltaire - Forestier sellier’ employed AO in October, 2017. However this company did not play any role in this study as it was conducted during AO’s post-doctorate at CIAMS laboratory from Université Paris-Sud (October, 2012, to October, 2017). This affiliation does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
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