Effects of height-induced postural threat on static and dynamic balance performance in healthy individuals: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Height-induced postural threat evoked functional changes in static (i.e., decrease/increase in sway amplitude/frequency measures) and dynamic (i.e., decrease in walking speed measures) postural control. For static balance this is indicative of an effective "stiffening" response which is apparently not yet developed in children. For the dynamic balance, the further decrease in gait velocity during difficult walking conditions at height implies a compensatory mechanism to increase stability. Despite consistent direction and magnitude of effects, substantial between-study heterogeneity limits the generalizability of these findings, and results should therefore be interpreted with caution.