Apparatus and method for movement coordination analysis

A device for determining the extent of a subject's independent ability to maintain, by coordination of muscular responses to sensory information, a position in equilibrium, such device comprising;

• perturbing means for disturbing the subject's position in equilibrium, wherein the perturbing means includes a support means, each support means independently movable with respect to one another and linearly along a horizontal axis, for supporting a subject in equilibrium;
• sensing means for sensing the degree of contractile activity in a plurality of muscles as the subject attempts to restore equilibrium;
• and
• analyzing means for determining at least one of the order or distributional relationship of such contractile activity.

A method for assessing a subject's ability to utilize support surface inputs from one of the subject's first and second supporting legs, such method comprising:

• A. providing two support surfaces, and standing the subject on the support surface, so that each of the two support surfaces has only one leg resting thereon;
• B. measuring at least one quantity related to the subject's displacement from the standing equilibrium position;
• C. fixing the support surface on which the first leg rests, so that it does not move;
• D. rotating about a horizontal axis on a continuous basis the other support surface, on which the subject's second leg rests, in functional relation to the measured quantity, so that the support surface that is moving has a sway-reference gain greater than zero;
• and
• E. measuring the subject's ability to maintain the standing equilibrium position.

A device for assessing a subject's ability to utilize support surface inputs from one of the subject's first and second supporting legs, such method comprising:

• a fixed support surface on which the subject's first leg rests;
• a movable support surface, on which the subject's second leg rests, the movable support surface being rotatable about a horizontal axis;
• a compliant element for restraining the rotational motion, so that the movable support surface moves on a continuous basis in functional relation to the subject's displacement from a standing equilibrium position, so that the movable support surface has a sway-reference gain greater than zero;
• and
• means for measuring the subject's ability to maintain the standing equilibrium position.

A method for assessing a subject's ability to utilize support surface inputs from one of the subject's first and second supporting legs, such method comprising:

• A. providing two support surfaces, and standing the subject on the support surfaces so that each of the two support surfaces has only one leg resting thereon;
• B. fixing the support surface on which the first leg rests, so that it does not move;
• C. permitting rotation of the subject's foot associated with the second leg as the subject sways;
• and
• D. measuring the subject's ability to maintain an equilibrium position.