Balance performance and prediction of balance loss

Regardless if we are talking about gait, walking on a beam or one-limb stance, we all recognise if someone is able to perform a task in a stable manner or if that person is not stable at all. Many balance parameters have been defined and have been related to decrease in balance performance or falling, as consequence of pathologies of degeneration (ageing). At present though, it is not clear which balance parameter best represents balance performance and is able to predict loss of balance. Therefore, we aim to assess different balance parameters based on the position and velocities of centre of pressure (CoP) and centre of mass (CoM). Also balance models from our colleague Charlotte Le Mouel (Neuromechanics Lab) will be used to calculate more advanced balance parameters. These parameters will be studied in tasks with increasing balance difficulty and used to predict balance loss in one-limb balance tasks.

Since sophisticated “Machine Learning” tools will be used for prediction of balance loss, we also work together with Dr. Oliver Kamps from the Centre for Nonlinear Science (CeNoS) and Prof. Tim Hahn from the Institut for Translational Psychiatry.