Examples of fixed support strategies to recover balance?

• A. Stepping strategy
• B. Ankle strategy
• C. Hip strategy
• D. Ankle strategy and hip strategy

Answer: (D)

When recovering balance without moving the feet, fixed-support strategies are those that keep the base of support fixed while correcting sway. The classic examples are the ankle strategy and the hip strategy. The ankle strategy uses torques at the ankle to rotate the body about the ankle joints, primarily addressing small perturbations on a firm surface and mainly in the sagittal plane. If the perturbation is larger or the surface limits ankle motion, the hip strategy kicks in, with motion centered in the hips and trunk to shift the upper body back over the feet. Both of these keep the feet planted, so they’re fixed-support responses. In contrast, the stepping strategy changes the base of support by taking a step, which is why it’s not considered a fixed-support method. Therefore, the examples are the ankle strategy and the hip strategy.