The correlation between physical and emotional stabilities: a cross-sectional observational preliminary study

Abstract

Background Postural stability and gait are affected by an individual’s emotional state. Physical therapy practice does not usually include an explicit assessment of the individual’s emotional status. In contrast, complementary movement therapies often include the assessment of “grounding quality”, which refers to the individual’s physical and emotional stabilities. This study examined the correlation between conventional physical stability measures and grounding quality. Method A computerized balance board and an inertial sensor system measured the postural stability and gait parameters of 36 healthy volunteers (aged 19–35 years). Grounding was assessed using an observation-based assessment tool (Grounding Assessment Tool [GAT]). Spearman’s correlation and Cohen’s standard were used to assess correlation. Results No correlation was observed between gait parameters and GAT scores. However, significant negative moderate correlations were noted between postural sway measures and scores of several GAT items in the more demanding stance conditions. Conclusion Although grounding quality and sway measures are somewhat correlated, they focus on different aspects of movement stability. A comprehensive assessment and holistic intervention strategies require incorporating multiple approaches to stability assessment. Further research is necessary to determine the contribution of combining these approaches among individuals with balance impairments. KEY MESSAGES Gait stability measures were not correlated to “grounding quality” (a measure of emotional regulation and emotional awareness). Postural sway measures were found to be correlated to “grounding quality” items in the more demanding stance conditions. A comprehensive evaluation of an individual’s stability may facilitate reliable and valid objective measurement instruments for both physical and emotional aspects of the movement.

Emotional state as a modulator of autonomic and somatic nervous system activity in postural control: a review

“…There are many different examples of tasks which routinely require the coordinated efforts of the ANS and somatic NS that help to shed light on the importance of the neurofunctional link between these systems. Postural stability requires a dynamic interplay between emotional state, self-awareness, attention allocation, autonomic activity and sensorimotor processing, even under conditions which may be considered automatic ( 16 ). As such, it is imperative that balance assessment in both research and clinical settings consider an individual’s emotional state.…”

Characteristics of the postural stability of the lower limb in different visual states of undergraduate students with moderate myopia

“…Postural stability refers to the ability to keep the body’s center of pressure stable within the supporting area ( Elboim-Gabyzon et al, 2022 ). The sensory inputs that are required to maintain postural stability in humans include vision, vestibular, and proprioception.…”