Detrending moving average analysis of center-of-pressure patterns

Body balance control is crucial for safe accomplishment of movement and motor tasks. Efficient postural balance reduces the risk of injuries and contributes to optimizing motor performance.In this study, one-dimensional and two-dimensional Center of Pressure (CoP) signals analysis using zero-order centered Detrended Moving Average (DMA) was applied to human posture data. The custom stabilometric system was used to record CoP signals from 46 subjects from three groups of different fitness levels (non-sportsmen, diving athletes and roving athletes). Each subject has passed two tests: "upright standing posture with eyes opened" (EO), "upright standing posture with eyes closed" (EC). Each test has a duration of 30 seconds.In order to compare non-linear properties of the CoP signals between groups, averaged log-log plots per state (EO/EC) and per group were calculated and analyzed. The following relationship between scaling exponent and sport level was found: the greater sport level, the more long-range correlations present in the CoP signal recorded in static upright posture.