Response to Calmet's comment on Paillard, et al. (2005):: "Influence of postural regulation in male judokas' direction of falls"

A prior study by Paillard, Montoya, and Dupui showed judokas' direction of fall based on analysis of videos is inversely related to the average position of their centre of foot pressure (measured on a force platform). From this result, Calmet (2006) proposes some suggestions (e.g., the evaluation of balance on a force platform with the two hands bound to a system of pulleys or springs) which could be useful to analyse the judokas' postural strategies and to develop increased awareness of balance. However, several of these different suggestions require additional methodological evaluation before application. Indeed, according to the literature, inclusion of the force exerted onto handles modifies the amplitude of shifts of centre of foot pressure. Moreover, other analyses could be performed to develop descriptions and measures of a faller's behaviour. It would be interesting (i) to analyse the judokas' postural segmental movements during actual matches by kinematics analyses (ii) to study the judokas' balance when presented randomized push actions or pull actions while on a force platform. These suggestions could also constitute new perspectives of research on judo.