Evolution, applications and future potential of human balance measurement

Absztrakt

In this review, we intend to provide a definition of human balance, give an overview of the history of human balance measurement methods and tools used, the different areas of application (e.g. rehabilitation, senior care, sports applications, etc.) and future possibilities.

The earliest historical mention of measuring human balance for medical purposes is surprisingly late compared to other physiological examinations. While balance as a concept has ancient roots – appearing in Egyptian mythology and Roman symbolism – the scientific and medical measurement of posture control began with Romberg in the 19th century and only became widespread in the mid-20th century. The dynamic development of force plate technology, which has accelerated significantly in recent decades and continues to do so today, has had a significant impact on the understanding of the mechanisms of human movement and balance in a wide variety of research areas, from clinical rehabilitation to sports applications and sleep quality. By collecting accurate and meaningful data on human balance parameters such as center of pressure (COP), plantar pressure distribution (PPD) and torque patterns, force plates allow the measurement and detailed analysis of movement dynamics and balance characteristics. Integration of force plate systems into a virtual reality environment has been implemented in order to develop different personalized, user-friendly rehabilitation environments for patients recovering from various injuries (e.g. stroke) or following medical interventions (e.g. surgeries). In addition, advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence are enabling the development of sophisticated algorithms to analyze data gained from force plate measurement systems.