Is the erect posture in microgravity based on the control of trunk orientation or center of mass position?

Abstract

 In the present experiments carried out in microgravity two questions were addressed. First, when the subject was instructed to adopt a vertical erect posture in microgravity with his feet fixed to the floor of the space cabin, would he control anteroposterior position with respect to the ankle joint axis of the ”vertical projection” of his center of mass (CM) or trunk axis orientation with respect to the ”vertical” (perpendicular to the floor of the space cabin)? Secondly, is CM anteroposterior position regulated during upper trunk movements in microgravity, in the absence of equilibrium constraint? Two subjects were tested in a long-term space flight. Video camera recordings were performed and analyzed off line. The results show that during erect vertical posture in microgravity, the trunk axis with respect to the ”vertical” is inclined some 7° forward. The anteroposterior position of the CM ”vertical” projection is not shifted forward, as might be expected in view of the trunk inclination, but remains close to the ankle joint axis. At the end of the upper trunk forward or backward bending movement, the final position of the vertical CM projection remains close to the ankle joint axis in microgravity. These results are interpreted as indicating that CM anteroposterior position continues to be accurately controlled in microgravity; the forward inclination of the trunk axis observed in microgravity is interpreted as being due to a misevaluation of the ”vertical” axis on the basis of biased information from proprioceptive inputs.