Postural stability during a longitudinal expedition in an isolated and confined Antarctic environment

Postural stability is critical for safety in extreme environments like Antarctica, where falls pose a significant risk to expedition crews. However, systematic longitudinal studies from this setting are lacking. In the first such study, we repeatedly assessed postural control in thirteen members of a 49-day Antarctic mission using a low-cost, autonomous system under four sensory conditions (firm surface vs. compliant surface × × eyes open vs. eyes closed). We hypothesized that postural stability would initially deteriorate due to acute stress and environmental novelty, followed by gradual recovery and adaptation over the mid-term . Our comprehensive analysis revealed a marked deterioration of stability when visual or proprioceptive input was compromised, manifesting as increased sway and a shift toward less complex, more persistent control dynamics. Contrary to our hypothesis, no systematic longitudinal adaptation was detected. These findings highlight the increased reliance on visual information when proprioceptive cues are unreliable and suggest that postural strategies remain remarkably stable during a medium-term polar mission. Despite its known technical limitations, our work demonstrates the practical feasibility of using this autonomous system for field stabilometry in isolated environments.