When perturbations are large and recovery relies on moving the base of support, which strategy is primarily engaged?

• A. Ankle strategy
• B. Hip strategy
• C. Stepping strategy
• D. Vestibular shutdown

Answer: (C)

When a balance disturbance is large, restoring upright posture often requires enlarging or repositioning the base of support. The stepping strategy does exactly that: a quick step with one foot is taken to place the foot beyond the current support area, creating a new, larger base under the body and realigning the center of mass with that base. This approach is used because ankle and hip strategies can only shift the center of mass within the existing base of support; once the perturbation pushes the body toward the edge, stepping becomes the most effective way to regain stability. Vestibular shutdown isn’t a corrective balance strategy, but an unrelated process, so it’s not used to recover from large perturbations.