Stance Width Influences Postural Stability and Motion Sickness
Abstract
We examined the influence of stance width (the distance between the feet) on postural sway and visually induced motion sickness. Stance width influences the magnitude of body sway, and changes in sway precede the subjective symptoms of motion sickness. Thus, manipulation of stance width may influence motion sickness incidence. Participants (healthy young adults) were exposed to complex, low-frequency oscillation of a moving room. Participants stood with their feet 5 cm, 17 cm, or 30 cm apart. During exposure to visual motion, the widest stance (30 cm) was associated with reduced incidence of motion sickness. For all stance widths, motion sickness was preceded by significant changes in motion of the head and torso. The results support the postural instability theory of motion sickness and suggest practical implications for the prevention of motion sickness. Adoption of wider stance may decrease the risk of motion sickness in operational situations.
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Conditions in which postural instability precedes motion sickness are likely conditions in which postural hypotension is being elicited, producing symptoms such as can't see straight, feeling dizzy, hard to focus, everything is gray, and occasionally nausea.
“It is likely that the conditions in which postural instability precedes “motion sickness” are actually conditions in which postural hypotension is being elicited, hence symptoms such as “can’t see straight, feeling dizzy,” “hard to focus, everything is gray,” and occasionally nausea (Smart et al. 1998, 2002; Stoffregen et al. 2010; Villard et al. 2008).”
From Motion sickness: more than nausea and vomiting (2014) · cites this paper as Stoffregen et al. 2010
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Stoffregen, T. A., Yoshida, K., Villard, S., Scibora, L., & Bardy, B. G.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Université Montpellier 1 (FR)
- Venue
- Ecological Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2010-07-28
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 169-191
- ISSN
- 1040-7413 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-6969
- OpenAlex
- W2014430616
- Cited by
- 87
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 9.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ecological Psychology (publishedVersion)
- UST Research Online (University of St. Thomas - Minnesota) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vestibular and auditory disorders
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Keywords
- stance width, postural stability, postural sway, visually induced motion sickness, motion sickness prevention, visual motion, low-frequency oscillations
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