Abstract
This study sought to clarify the relationship between foot angle and postural stability when nurses stand with their feet placed behind and forward to aid patient’s standing and sitting.
Participants were 28 healthy females and six healthy males with an average age of 29.3 years. I first determined participants foot placement at three foot angles：0°, 45° and 90° (right-angle standing), and measured the support base area. In addition, I determined a foot placement (triangle standing) with foot angle of 90°, similar to a base of support of 0°. I measured the Index of Postural Stability (IPS) and perceived postural stability for four kinds of foot placement.
The results revealed that the area of the base of support was greatest when the standing angle was 45°, followed by right-angle standing, and triangle standing, which was similar to 0°. In contrast, IPS scores were highest with triangle standing, followed by right-angle standing, 45°, and 0°. Perceived postural stability was highest with triangle standing, followed by 45°, right-angle standing, and 0°.
These results indicate that a foot angle of 90° provided the greatest postural stability among foot angles of 0°, 45°, and 90°, when participants stood with their feet placed behind and forward. Furthermore, my findings suggest that foot angle is a factor in increasing postural stability, in addition to the area of the base of support.
