POSTURAL DYNAMICS IN UPRIGHT AND INVERTED STANCES

This study provides a comparative analysis of certain features of upri ght and inverted stance in collegiate-level competitive gymnastic and diving athletes. A particular focus was the compensatory movement stra tegies used to maintain inverted stance. The analyses revealed that th e motion of the center of pressure was significantly greater in the ha nd stance as opposed to the upright stance condition. Instability incr eased over the duration of a 15-s hand stance trial, and it was parall eled by the introduction of a small set of compensatory movement strat egies that included enhanced motion at the distal segments of the legs and at the elbow joint. The compensatory movement strategies appeared to be in support of minimizing variability of motion in the head and trunk. The relative contribution of the principal sources of this inst ability in the hand stance remains to be determined.