Relationships Between Postural Quality and Postural Stability Among Healthy Young Adults

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether apparent differences in body posture affect the ability to maintain balance and foot loading during standing. Methods: The research was conducted in a group of 100 young adults. The examinations included measurements of body posture using the Posture Photographic Assessment System, as well as measurements of balance ability using the Zebris FDM-S platform. The following body posture parameters were analyzed: posture index (PI), pelvic tilt angle (PLT), and the tilts of subsequent spinal segments. Participants’ body posture was categorized according to the classifications proposed by Dolphens and Frohner. The analyzed balance parameters included the path length (PL) covered by the center of foot pressure (COP) on the ground and the ellipse area (EA) in which the COP was located during the test. The mean percentage load on the forefoot (FORE) and rearfoot (BACK), as well as the symmetry index (SI) for the load on the right and left foot, were also analyzed. Results: Kruskal–Wallis tests demonstrated that PL, EA, SI, FORE, and BACK did not differ significantly among the three posture types defined by Dolphens nor among participants with different pelvic alignments. Furthermore, PL, EA, SI, FORE, BACK, PLT, and the tilts of subsequent spinal segments did not differ significantly between the two posture types according to Frohner. Conclusions: Balance parameters and foot loading during standing did not differ significantly among the three posture types defined by Dolphens, between the two posture types according to Frohner, or among participants with different pelvic alignments.