A Study of the Impact of Head Position on Foot Pressure in Stance

A Study of the Impact of Head Position on Foot Pressure in Stance.

When examining a subject in quiet stance from the side, the leg segment is usually seen to be oriented upwards and forwards by about 5°; the knee may be flexed by a few degrees, the shoulders are behind the great trochanter and the head is held forwards. The forward head position moves the center of gravity forwards and thus may increase pressure under the forefoot. Conversely, moving the head backwards should be accompanied by an increase in pressure under the heel and thus decreased pressure under the forefoot.

The study's objective is to study the influence of alignment of the head with the back (i.e. a rearward head position) and head rotation on the foot pressure distribution (measured using a foot pressure platform).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Study the Impact of Head Position
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Foot pressure measurement

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 87
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 30 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18 and 30
• Social security coverage
• Ability to understand the study's objectives, procedures and risks and to provide informed, written consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Past or concomitant infectious or cancerous diseases of the spine
• Vertebral osteosynthesis
• Acute neck or arm pain
• Limb trauma in the previous 12 months
• Acute leg pain
• Neuropathic disease or the sequelae of neuropathic disease of the legs
• Myasthenia gravis
• Central nervous system disorders
• Inner ear problems
• Subjects under legal guardianship
• Known pregnancy
• Simultaneous participation in another biomedical research study of a drug or medical device.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Other: Foot pressure measurement; The subject stands on the platform, with the heels and buttocks touching a vertical plane and the head held freely. The subject then moves his/her head backwards so that it touches the vertical plane. Next, he/she turns the head to the right and then towards the left. Each of these positions is maintained for 2 minutes. The platform's sensors measure the anteroposterior foot pressure distribution during the various acquisitions.

Other: Foot pressure measurement; Description of the foot pressure measurement: The subject stands on the platform, with the heels and buttocks touching a vertical plane and the head held freely. The subject then moves his/her head backwards so that it touches the vertical plane. Next, he/she turns the head to the right and then towards the left. Each of these positions is maintained for 2 minutes. The platform's sensors measure the anteroposterior foot pressure distribution during the various acquisitions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
The foot pressure in g/cm2 and the anteroposterior pressure distribution, measured using a foot pressure platform.	1 hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Mutter Catherine, MD, Les Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Nisand M, Callens C, Destieux C, Dyer JO, Chanson JB, Sauleau E, Mutter C. Baropodometric quantification and implications of muscle coactivation in the lower limbs caused by head movement: A prospective study. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2020 Jan;24(1):228-234. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2019.05.014. Epub 2019 May 15.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 15, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 18, 2014
• First Posted (Estimated): December 19, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 16, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 5899