Background and Purpose. This study determined whether persons with sta
bility impairments have postural aberrations. We investigated whole-bo
dy posture and its relationship to center-of-gravity (COG) stability.
Subjects. Data from 27 subjects with vestibular hypofunction and 26 su
bjects without vestibular impairment were analyzed. Method. An optoele
ctronic full-body system measured kinematics. Force plates measured gr
ound reaction forces while subjects stood Ic idl their feet 30 cm apar
t and eyes open and with their feet together and eyes closed. Results.
The subjects with vestibular hypofunction demonstrated less stability
than the subjects without impairment, but there were no postural diff
erences. Subjects with vestibular hypofunction had more weight on the
left lower extremity during standing with feet apart. In all subjects
in both groups, during standing with feet apart, the COG was anterior
to the ankle, knee, back, and shoulder and posterior to the hip and ne
ck. Subjects had an anterior pelvic tilt, extended trunk and head, rig
ht: laterally flexed trunk and pel iis, and flexed knees. With their f
eet together, subjects increased their anterior pelvic tilt; trunk, he
ad, and knee flexion; and anterior COG position. Conclusion and Discus
sion. Posture and stability had a low correlation. Subjects with bilat
eral vestibular hypofunction did not demonstrate a forward head or bac
kward trunk lean, as has been reported anecdotally. Changing from stan
ding with feet apart to feet together increased whole-body movement pa
tterns to control standing stability.