This study investigated the role of the foveal and peripheral visual fields in body sway control while standing upright. The subjects were 55 healthy adults. There were three visual conditions: presentation of a fixation point (foveal visual information) with cross-shaped vertical and horizontal lines stretching to the limits of the subject's viewing range (peripheral visual information), called the FP-condition; presentation of a fixation point only (F-condition); and the absence of visual information with the subject's eyes shut (N-condition). Three types (lateral, fore-aft, and total) of magnitude of body sway (MBS) were calculated.
(1) For both total and fore-aft body sways, the MBS of the N-condition was significantly larger than those of other conditions. The MBS of the FP-condition was nearly equal to that of the F-condition.
(2) For lateral body sway, the MBS of the N-condition was significantly larger than those of other conditions. The MBS of the F-condition was significantly larger than that of the FP-condition.